TOURISM DECLINE:THE SLUMP in tourism is showing no sign of easing, with data published yesterday by the Central Statistics Office confirming a sharp decline in visitor numbers.
Almost 14 per cent fewer overseas visitors came to the Republic in September this year compared with September 2008, continuing a trend that has been under way since the middle of last year.
There were 594,600 visits from abroad during the month, against 690,700 a year earlier. The 13.9 per cent decline puts the number of foreign tourists on a par with that for September 2004.
Trips to the Republic from Britain and mainland Europe, the two main visitor markets, saw sharp declines. The number of trips by residents of England, Scotland and Wales fell by almost 15 per cent, to 271,600 in September; visits by people who live in other European countries were down 17 per cent, to 192,300. Trips by residents of North America fell by 2.2 per cent, to 99,700 for the same month.
During the third quarter of the year as a whole, the number of overseas trips to the Republic was down 11.2 per cent.
Residents of the Republic also travelled abroad less, taking 628,800 foreign trips in September 2009. This was 13.4 per cent fewer overseas visits than in the same month last year. The third-quarter figure dropped 10.7 per cent.
Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland, said that as the global economy has deteriorated consumers have tightened their belts, travelling and spending less.
He added that there is evidence that consumer confidence is beginning to improve, albeit slowly, in some key overseas markets. “By year end we anticipate close to eight million people will have visited the island of Ireland from overseas, generating approximately €3.6 billion in revenue.”
The Irish Hotels Federation yesterday called for creative thinking to tackle the decline in tourism. The federation’s president, Matthew Ryan, said we need “smart action” when promoting Ireland in key overseas markets.
Next month’s budget “can begin this process by maintaining the current real level of activity funded by Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland’s international marketing budget”.