The number of visits to Ireland fell 12 per cent in the second quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2008, according to Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures released today.
During the April-June period, a total of 1,902,000 overseas visits were made to Ireland compared with 2,159,000 in the same period of 2008. Trips for holiday, leisure, and recreation purposes fell by 20 per cent, the CSO reported.
The number of Irish visits abroad has fallen 7 per cent for the same time frame.
The largest drop in overseas visits to Ireland came among those living in Britain and the Other Areas category, which fell by 16 per cent.
The number of trips made by residents of other European states dropped 10 per cent, while visits from the United States and Canada fell by 29 per cent compared to the second quarter, 2008.
In terms of expenditure for the second quarter, there was a net outflow of €469 million - earnings from visitors to Ireland accounted for €1,117 million while expenditure by Irish visitors abroad was €1,586 million.
The CSO statistics also reveal that the number of nights spent in hotels declined by 25 per cent, while nights spent in guesthouses dropped 8 per cent compared to the 2008 quarter.
However, the average length of stay of visitors to the State increased to 9 nights compared to 7.6 nights in the second quarter 2008.
The 7 per cent drop in number of Irish visits abroad - to 1,900,000 - represents the first time since 1991 that the number of trips abroad by Irish residents has fallen on an annual basis for the April-June period.
The average length of stay for an Irish trip abroad was 8.5 nights.
The CSO pointed out that comparisons between 2008 and 2009 should take account of Easter falling in the first quarter in last year and the second quarter in 2009.
In June, the CSO reported the number of trips taken abroad during the first three months of 2009 fell by 13 per cent compared to the same period a year earlier. The number of visitors to Ireland during the first quarter declined by 9 per cent for that same period.
Responding to the CSO figures released today, Tourism Ireland said 2009 was one of the most difficult years the tourism industry in Ireland had ever faced, and that an €18 million autumn marketing campaign had been set up to run overseas.
Tourism Ireland chief executive Niall Gibbons said: “The global tourism industry continues to be hit hard by the worldwide recession and by extreme volatility across all major markets. These CSO figures reflect the impact on Ireland and the tough year that tourism businesses across the island are experiencing.
“Tourism Ireland is out there fighting hard, promoting incredible value for money offers provided by the tourism industry," Mr Gibbons said.
He added: “Latest available data from the UNWTO [United Nations World Tourism Organisation], suggests that, while undoubtedly suffering a decline in its tourism overall, Ireland is actually maintaining its share of available tourism business compared to some competitor destinations such as Great Britain, France and Germany."
Tourism Ireland, set up under the Belfast Agreement, works with both Fáilte Ireland and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board.
In better news, Ireland West Airport Knock announced that August was the busiest month at the airport in three years as over 81,000 passengers flew to and from the base.
Moreover, Friday, August 28th, became the single busiest day in the airport’s history with over 5,300 travellers passing through. Numbers using Knock airport have increased by 13 per cent since 2007.
