Numbers holidaying here jump 30%

The number of people visiting Ireland for a holiday jumped by almost 30% in the first three months of this year compared to record high figures in 2015.

Latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that the total number of overseas visitors coming to Ireland grew by 16.6% to 1.785m trips in the first quarter of the year when compared to the same period in 2015. The number of holiday visitors grew by 28%, from 538,000 to 691,000.

The total amount of revenue from overseas visitors grew by 18% in the first three months of the year — bringing an additional €102m into the Irish economy compared with 2015. Revenue from holidaymakers grew by 29%.

The positive figures come off the back of what was a record year for the tourism sector in 2015. Commenting on the figures, CEO of Tourism Ireland, Niall Gibbons, said 2016 was already proving to be a “really strong” year for the sector.

“This was an excellent performance and reflects the sentiment we’ve been hearing from our tourism partners overseas and here at home. As we head into the high season, we are determined to ensure that tourism growth continues.”

“We have an extensive programme of promotions under way around the world, reminding prospective visitors everywhere that there has never been a better time to come and discover the island of Ireland,” he said.

Fáilte Ireland CEO, Shaun Quinn, warned that a number of challenges still face the sector: “There are still challenges — including the spectre of Brexit next week, and the capacity issues in Dublin which we reported on earlier this week — which serve as a caution against complacency. We must ensure growth is sustainable, and the sector must do all that it can to maintain its competitiveness as well as continually innovate to meet the changing needs of the modern consumer.”

Tourism minister Shane Ross said the figures showed the value of tourism to the economy: “Tourism played a key part in our economic recovery and thankfully it continues to do so. I look forward to working with the tourism agencies to ensure that this strong performance is maintained, particularly as we enter peak tourism season,” he said.