Fine Gael TD for Galway West, Brian Walsh, has welcomed the latest official data on overseas travel from the Central Statistics Office, which has reported an increase of nearly 13 per cent in overseas visits to Ireland for the first half of 2011.
“These figures confirm what I have been hearing from business owners on the ground in Galway. It is great that overseas visitors, as well as Irish people, are rediscovering Ireland as a place to go on holiday. As a destination, Ireland offers spectacular beauty, world-class quality, genuine hospitality and increasingly good value.
“The Government views the tourism industry as being vital to Ireland’s economic recovery and is working closely with tourism agencies to promote Ireland abroad.
“We have decreased the rate of VAT on hospitality services as part of our Jobs Initiative. The Galway Chamber of Commerce has been very clear that this measure, which came into effect recently, is already having a very beneficial effect on local business.
“Government measures such as the VAT cut, reduced employers’ PRSI, and the visa waiver scheme are helping to restore sustainable growth to the tourism sector.
“These figures also confirm indications on the ground that overseas travel to Ireland is on the increase. Visits from North America increased by 15 per cent and from Great Britain by 7.9 per cent compared to the first half of 2010. Notably, visits from other long-haul markets increased by 17.4 per cent while visits from Europe other than Britain increased by 17.6 per cent.
“This contrasts with a fall in Irish trips overseas of 2.3 per cent for the first half of 2011. Businesses in the hospitality sector will be heartened by the fact that the number of visitors from North America and from other long-haul markets is almost back to 2008 levels.”
