Best year for Irish tourism industry since boom

Tourists are flocking to Ireland to see sights such as the Wild Atlantic Way, as the sector reports its most positive year since the Celtic Tiger.

According to Fáilte Ireland, most tourism businesses enjoyed a busy and profitable summer, with almost three-quarters upbeat about the future.

Business sentiment in the sector is now at its highest level since the boom years.

The results indicate that the recovery in tourism is now apparent across the country, with all regions reporting strong accommodation increases on last year. The south-west in particular enjoyed an exceptionally strong year, with 84% of businesses saying they were busier than last year.

Many businesses in the region specifically cited the Wild Atlantic Way as a positive factor for improved business.

Dublin continues to perform strongly and the Shannon region, where improvements at the airport are mentioned as a positive factor, is also recording robust growth.

The biggest growth in numbers was from German and US tourists, while British visitors are also starting to return for holidays.

Hotels remain the strongest sector, with 82% reporting an increase in visitors. However, 2014 has also proved to be a good year for guesthouses, with 69% seeing increased visitors, while B&Bs are up 60%.

Similarly, the restaurant sector reported a 72% increase in the volume of overseas visitors, while half have seen an overall increase in tourism customers.

The report found that good summers and signs of improved economies both at home and overseas have led to increased optimism.

Fáilte Ireland chief executive Shaun Quinn said: “The danger now for tourism would be to allow complacency to creep back in. To sustain this year’s growth, we need to remain competitive, build on our appeal and continue to aggressively target those segments of our markets with the most potential.”