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Irish tourism will focus on “The Gathering” as it prepares for global Irish homecoming

Fáilte Ireland predicts an increase in tourism of numbers of two to seven percent

By
CATHY HAYES,
IrishCentral Staff Writer
Published Wednesday, January 18, 2012, 9:34 AM
Updated Wednesday, January 18, 2012, 2:25 PM

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The Irish tourism agency, Fáilte Ireland, are optimistic about Ireland’s tourism numbers for 2012 as the country prepares for the “The Gathering”, a global Irish homecoming and Ireland’s biggest tourism project to date which will be held in 2013.

The agency is targeting a two percent to seven percent increase in tourism this year, following last year’s increase of six percent.

Fáilte Ireland’s chief executive, Shaun Quinn, also said that there is not room for Ireland to rest on its laurels when it comes to tourism.

He said, “2012 is extraordinarily difficult to predict and that’s an understatement.”

Quinn said that growth in all key markets is expected, with a two percent to five percent increase in British visitors predicted and increases of up to seven percent in visitors from Europe and the US.

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Last year, the number of tourists coming from Britain increased by almost four percent to 2.8 million and European number increased by eight percent. US arrivals were up by five percent.

The greatest threat to Ireland’s fragile recovery, in terms of tourism, comes from global factors. Quinn said “Any downturn in the global economy – or even significant fears about a downturn – has the potential to undermine the fragile recovery made so far in Irish tourism.”

The chairman of Fáilte Ireland Redmond O’Donoghue said that for the first time in three or four years the Irish tourism industry is optimistic about the future.

Following Queen Elizabeth’s visit to Ireland and President Barack Obama’s homecoming there is a feel-good factor surrounding the country. Their visits also generated $380 million (€300 million) worth of publicity through the 40,000 articles and broadcasts generated by the global events.

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See more: Irish Travel , Irish economy , Irish business news , News from Ireland
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3 Comments

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Druidman | Jan 22, 2012, 07:34 PM EST
Re: George Dillon, I can not help but suggest that you seem to or possibly seem to have racist issues. Many of those you speak of in the Irish tourist industry have left Ireland to return to their respective home nations due to the economic downturn and the comparatively high cost of living in Ireland. Another fine display of your ignorance George. Most hotels and hostelry's now employ Irish people who are in fact now cheap to employ and thus exploited by many hotels owned by the Banks. You George are not at all up to speed lad.

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gobdawpaddy | Jan 18, 2012, 08:35 PM EST
George, I agree with you on many issues, this is not one. I wish the Irish government the best in this endevour to attract tourists. I hope that the Irish hospitality sector don't make a mess of it out of greed. They probably can't contain themselves.

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GeorgeDillon | Jan 18, 2012, 12:15 PM EST
They want descendents of Irish overseas to go to find their roots in Ireland, a country where the tourist industry is totally dominated by Poles, Russians and Chinese! They're fools and frauds. Why not encourage the Poles in Pittsburgh or Chicago to go to Ireland to discover their cousins!

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