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Home Page > News > Major boost in North American tourist numbers as ‘The Gathering’ begins

Major boost in North American tourist numbers as ‘The Gathering’ begins

Tourism Ireland CEO says North America “the key to tourism and growth”

AMANDA DRISCOLL,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Thursday, February 28, 2013, 7:47 AM

Updated Thursday, February 28, 2013, 7:47 AM

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See more: The Gathering

The arrival gates at Dublin Airport.

Photo by DAA

The newest figures from the Central Statistics Office reveals an increase of 4.4% in passengers from North America to Ireland between November 2012 and January 2013. In comparison to the same time period last year, this is an additional 52,900 trips within a very small time frame.

In response to this dramatic rise, the chief executive of Tourism Ireland, Niall Gibbons, believes that this dramatic increase could hold “the key to tourism and growth.” Gibbons is hopeful that more than one million Americans will travel to Ireland in 2013 as the Gathering initiative begins.

In addition to the increase in American tourists, Gibbons also had good news relating to other geographical areas, The Irish Times reports: Gibbons stated, "Today’s figures also show very good growth in visitor numbers from Ireland's long-haul markets. And indications for these markets for 2013 are also positive; Etihad has announced a 35 per cent increase in capacity on its service from Abu Dhabi to Dublin, which is in addition to the Emirates service from Dubai - both providing excellent connectivity for Ireland with the Middle East and longer-haul markets."

With a breakdown of the Central Statistics Office report, TheJournal.ie revealed that:

-Trips from Great Britain were up 3,300 to 584,100
-Trips from elsewhere in Europe were up 21,200 to 425,600
-Trips from North America were up 17,300 to 159,200
-Trips from all other areas were up 11,000 to 79,400

Chief executive of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, Gina Quin, believes that the reduced Value Added Tax rate of 9% for hospitality industries will greatly help to promote the Irish tourism industry by giving Ireland a competitive edge throughout 2013 for the sale of tourism products in 2014.

Overseas tourism has a "critical role" to play in contributing to Ireland's economic recovery, said Gibbons, and with The Gathering set to attract a further 325,000 visitors back to Ireland, which will generate approximately 200 million in tourism revenue, then perhaps the forecast for Ireland’s future holds the slightest glimmer of a silver lining.

See more: The Gathering , Irish News , Irish Economy , Ireland Vacations

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Seanmor | Mar 07, 2013, 03:49 AM EST

My wife and I are going to attend the gathering of my clan in July, only because that same weeek there is also reunion of the former students of my local primary school in the same county as the 'gathering'. The school reunion is far more inportant to me than the gathering. On a recent trip toIreland, we both went to Belfast, where my wife, a New England Methodist a bhfuil cúpla facal Gaeilge aici, has family connections. As far as Tourism Ireland is concerned, neither of us is a Free State Partitionist. Does that mean An Bord Fáilte won't have much Fáilte for us?

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STEVENSTAR | Mar 03, 2013, 03:15 PM EST

ID ALSO LIKE TO ASK LEO IF HIS EUROPEAN FIGURES WHICH ARE UP BY 21,OOO .... WERE THESE PEOPLE ON HOLIDAY OVER HERE IN IRELAND OR WERE THERE ANOTHER 21,000 ROMANIANS, POLISH, BULGARIANS AND CHEZCS MOVED OVER FROM EASTERN EUROPE TO CLAIM MORE FREE BENEFITS AND HOUSING...?? BECAUSE AS IT STANDS ANYWHERE I GO IN MY LOCAL TOWN ALL I HEAR IS MORE AND MORE AND MORE FOREIGN ACCENTS MAINLY DOWN OUTSIDE THE DOLE OFF ON THE HIGH STREET OR IN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER EVERY FRIDAY UP IN COURT FOR MORE CRIMES, DRUG DEALING AND PROSTITUTION.. ALL PAID FOR I MIGHT ADD ON THE FREE LEGAL AID SYSTEM BY IRISH TAX PAYERS... SO LEO CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT FOR US PLEASE ? CHEERS !!

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STEVENSTAR | Mar 03, 2013, 03:10 PM EST

AS I HAVE BEEN SAYING ALL ALONG THE UK IS OUR BIGGEST TOURIST MARKET WITH OVER HALF A MILLION BRITS COMING OVER HERE LAST YEAR... WE CAN ALSO THANK THE QUEENS VISIT TO IRELAND IN 2011 TO HELP BOOST THAT .. ITS ALL MONEY WELL SPENT .. WHAT IM NOT SURPRISED AT IS THE SMALL AMOUNT OF AMERICANS COMING OVER HERE 159,000 IS NOT THAT MUCH REALLY GIVEN THE SIZE OF AMERICA...I LIVE IN THE TOURIST AREA OF CORK AND NUMBER OF AMERICAN TOURISTS COMING HERE HAVE BEEN FALLING DRAMATICALLY SINCE THE MID 80S LETS HOPE THAT LEO CAN INCREASE THE NUMBER OF AMERICANS COMING OVER HERE TO MORE THEN 17K AFTER ALL THAT MONEY THEY SPENT ON THIS GATHERING PARLAVA ....!!!!

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Portia_O'Neill | Mar 01, 2013, 08:15 AM EST

The Gathering will host a special event for single parents interested in claims for unpaid child support owed by Irish men with second families.

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saraindc | Feb 28, 2013, 11:28 AM EST

i hate to break it to the irish tourist minister but the numbers were up because of most of us irish living abroad going home for Christmas and not because of the Gathering. I live in DC and its had little or no mention here - its not on TV or radio, no signs, no advertising, most people who tell me they would love to go to Ireland hear about The Gathering from me as i tell them to go this year as there will be lots on - if the Irish Tourist Board had any smarts they would have made all of us living abroad who were born in Ireland "champions" of their event so that we had marketing materials to give people to promote it. They're not doing a great job of marketing it in less traditional Irish enclaves like DC! one of my friends goes home to Ireland 3 times a year - she's got half her friends going there on vacation over the last few years but thats down to her and not the Irish tourist board so they can't take creidt for it with their own marketing!!

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