Commenting on CSO figures issued this week on overseas visitor numbers to Ireland for the period January-October 2011, Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland, stated: “These figures show that visitor numbers for the year to date are now +7.4 per cent ahead of the same 10-month period last year. However, the economic turmoil of recent months has brought increased uncertainty, affecting business and consumer confidence, and in turn, international travel. Given the scale of the challenges facing the global economy right now, travel and tourism look likely to face a fairly cautious passage into 2012.”
Last week, Tourism Ireland launched details of its marketing plans to promote the island of Ireland around the globe in 2012 and beyond. Niall Gibbons continued: “Tourism Ireland will be striving to ensure that the island of Ireland increases its share of the global travel business in 2012 and beyond. It is important to remember that people around the world still want to take holidays. The trend is that people are continuing to travel but taking shorter trips, staying closer to home and being careful with their money, as value for money remains an important consideration; 2012 looks set to be an exciting year for tourism, with major events like the grand finale of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-2012 taking place in Galway and the annual Notre Dame-Navy American football game coming to Dublin’s Aviva Stadium. In the second half of the year, Tourism Ireland will promote The Gathering 2013 to the 70 million people across the world who feel linked by family, friends or otherwise with Ireland.”
Overseas tourism has a critical role to play in contributing to Ireland’s economic recovery. Overseas tourism business accounts for 59 per cent (approximately €3.1 billion ) of all tourism revenue and has the capacity to deliver even more for Ireland as part of an export-led economic renewal. Tourism is Ireland’s largest indigenous industry, contributing in excess of four per cent of GNP and providing employment for more than 200,000 people in communities throughout the island.
