Is Irish rain good for your skin? - That's how one of Bord Failte's marketing lines goes in Europe and judging by the response from our continental cousins, they seem to think so.
Despite our dismal weather and non-existent summers, save for the odd fluke, Europeans are flocking to our shores - reflecting the success of the Celtic Tiger. And they are not coming here for suntans - that's for sure. Yesterday more than 60 European tour operators from five Mediterranean countries attended a travel workshop at Fitzpatrick Silver Springs Hotel, Cork, hosted by Bord Failte.
The aim was to negotiate rates and new business for the coming tourist season and to build on the spectacular success already achieved in Europe by the board.
Mrs Orla Branigan, the board's general manager for Europe, said the European market had become Ireland's most important tourism target in terms of revenue from holiday-makers. Europeans were now providing almost 40 per cent of all overseas holiday revenues. Over the past five years the trend had been one of sustained growth with revenue rising by 23 per cent during that period. All the signs were, she said, that there would be further growth and Ireland would continue to outpace all its European competitors in its ability to attract increasing numbers of tourists.
Ms Branigan said that if the European tourist wanted sun, he or she would go south. But instead, in growing numbers they are coming to Ireland for its food, the welcome of its people, its golfing facilities - among the best in the world - and much-improved infrastructural facilities.
The European market was particularly important to the south-west region, which enjoyed a 20 per cent share of all overseas tourism revenue into Ireland. She warned, however, that continued investment would have to take place if Ireland's phenomenal rate of growth in the market was to be sustained. As an example, she cited the fact that in 1988 some 21,000 Italian visitors arrived in Ireland whereas last year the figure was 120,000 - an increase of 500 per cent.
The number of tourists coming here from Spain doubled, while record figures were achieved from the Nordic countries and the Netherlands. The value of European tourism to Ireland had now reached almost £500 million a year, Ms Branigan said.
Overall, she continued, the forecast to the end of this year suggested there would be a 9 per cent increase in revenue, with more than five million tourists spending up to £1.8 billion.
Projections also suggested that North American and UK visitor numbers would be up by 14 per cent this year, she added.