Ireland fails to attract tourists
According to the EU-funded survey, based on the views of 30,000 randomly selected teens and adults in all member and associate member states, Ireland is now as popular among European tourists as Bulgaria.
Out of all planned foreign holidays this year, only 0.6% of people surveyed said they wanted to come to Ireland — on a par with the former communist state and Australia — and lagging behind Spain (6.6%), Italy (5.8%), France (4.4%) the US (3.5%) and Greece (3.1%).
When domestic trips were also taken into account, Ireland’s popularity dropped down to 0.5% of all those surveyed — a level far behind the most popular destinations of Italy (11.5%) and Spain (8.6%).
Even worse, despite the Irish tourism sector’s attempts to convince people to take part in staycation holidays in Ireland, less than one in five of Irish respondents will be doing so.
This figure is the third lowest national level in Europe, behind only Luxembourg and the Former Yugoslav Republic (FYR) of Macedonia.
On average, 38% of people throughout the EU will holiday in their own country this year.
The figures emerged as a separate survey found that more Europeans than Americans, Australians or Canadians would be happy to go to a nudist beach.
The study, from the Trip Advisor holiday advice group, found that 55% of Europeans would have no problem with swapping their swimming gear for their birthday suit, with 26% undecided.
This compares to 49% and 19% of Americans surveyed, 52% and 23% of Australians, 49% and 21% of British citizens, and 48% and 23% of Canadians.
A similar British survey last autumn claimed that Ireland is one of the best locations in the world for nudist retreats.
It said this country had some of the best nudist beaches in Europe, with the Silver Strand beach in Barna, Co Galway, Corballis in Co Dublin and Brittas Bay in Co Wicklow all making it into the top five list.
