The Emerald Isle has welcomed more than one million visitors from North America over the 12 month period October 2010 through September 2011 the Central Statistics Office has revealed..
The actual number of visitors during the period was 1.014 million which represents an increase of 11.5% and suggests that Ireland has significantly increased its share of U.S. and Canadian travelers to Europe in the current year.
The increase is very welcome news for an Irish economy still suffering greatly from the economic downturn. The Irish government has targeted tourism as a major area for creating jobs and opportunities and it seems to be delivering.
These figures come hot on the heels of figures released recently in Belfast which show an increase of 22% in visitors from the U.S. and Canada to Northern Ireland for the 6 month January to June 2011 period. The increase in revenue grew by a whopping 57% compared to last year.
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Commenting on the figures, Joe Byrne, Executive Vice-President Tourism Ireland, United States and Canada said: “these results remind us yet again of the strong brand awareness we enjoy in the United States and Canada and of the great vacation experience Ireland offers; indeed, the welcome for American visitors has never been warmer and the value on offer is better than ever. The figures also reflect the fact that our Irish tourism industry partners “stayed the course” and worked closely with Tourism Ireland during some difficult years for all destinations . A special word of thanks is also due to our great friends and other supporters who have worked tirelessly to spread the good news about Irish Tourism”
Meanwhile in other good news for tourism the bed and breakfast sector is also booming, online bookings through the B&B Ireland website have risen by 43% this year, the Donegal-based body’s convention heard in Dublin this week.
The convention was opened by Minister of State for Tourism and Transport, Michael Ring TD.
“The rise covers advance online bookings for the period January to Mid-November 2011 compared to the same period last year,” says B&B Ireland chief executive Helena Healy.
“The increase is mainly due to bookings from the US, France and Germany, and reflects our increased in-house IT and e-marketing capability,” she adds.
B&B Ireland represents over 1,000 owners from cities, towns and rural areas across the island of Ireland. Earlier this year, they launched the only B&B iPhone app and have since also launched a new range of specialist "package" breaks to cater for a wide range of interests such as walkers, anglers, golfers, farmstay, and Irish language enthusiasts amongst others.
“In the past year, over 80% of B&B Ireland properties have received star ratings under the new Fáilte Ireland scheme for the sector, and that’s been a real boost to their business,” says Helena.
“Consumers logging into our website www.bandbireland.com can now find approved 3, 4 and 5 star properties at a glance.”
Failte Ireland Tourism 2011 video:
11 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.sirpeter | Nov 19, 2011, 07:08 PM EST
Georgie Boy.Have you ever had an original thought in your head.One that is yours and not plagiarizing Towngates little efforts at belittling me?!!You are useless,unimaginative,bland,repetitive,and a dullard.If you notice Georgie Boy IC is going through a rather lean patch when it comes to controversial articles.But I'm glad you miss my substantive fact and argument.But that doesn't mean I can't continue to abuse you on a personnel basis.I enjoy that.In Cork you'd be known as a langer.Still Georgie Boy you are slipping from the number 1 spot on the IC idiot chart.Personally I think Gobshitepaddy has moved up to number 1.I knew he would from his very first post.You're just a racist.That song has been sung many times.Gobshite has a banjo like the inbred idiot boy in the movie Deliverance.Georgie Boy!! make him squeal like a pig you know he just lives just over the next holler (as they might say over there)
sirpeter | Nov 19, 2011, 06:06 PM EST
Gobshite stay in the States so.What gratitude should the Irish people have??Irish Americans come to Ireland because it's where their roots are.Without roots a person is nobody.Plenty Irish people have and will go to the States and spend millions doing their Christmas shopping in NY this Christmas.You don't see Irish people asking for gratitude from Americans.From all the Irish people in Ireland stay at home if that your attitude ya arrogant fu*k.
gobdawpaddy | Nov 19, 2011, 05:33 AM EST
Reading some of the anti-Ameroican vitriole on this site from Irish based posters, I wonder why we even bother (or as they might say over there, bodder). The Irish people don't appear to have any gratitude for what the United States has contributed towatds their being.
GeorgeDillon | Nov 19, 2011, 12:56 AM EST
More of the usual nonsense from curpeter. Curpeter, when was the last time you posted with a substantive fact or argument? Many months ago? So why do you bother posting? Too much time on your hands? Nothing to do? And OK, it's free. But there are other things that are free that you could be doing in your solitude. More of that, and less stupidity on Irish Central, that's my tip to you.
sirpeter | Nov 18, 2011, 03:55 PM EST
Georgie Boy of course Ireland is no longer like Ireland when you come and visit.No country could be itself when you arrive.
ellenred | Nov 18, 2011, 01:26 PM EST
And I was one of those people. Can't wait to go back next year for our 4 th trip
GeorgeDillon | Nov 18, 2011, 12:38 PM EST
"Hotels in Dublin are the cheapest in Europe, which has probably helped". But they're staffed by people from Estonia to Eritrea. That doesn't help. And I note that a recent survey showed that English people were less and less likely to vacation in Ireland. Why? Because they said Ireland was too similar to England! I can't express an opinion on that, since I haven't been in England for quite a while. I'd just say that Ireland is no longer like Ireland! You can't fill your streets with Latvians, Poles, Chinese, Nigerians, Russians, Angolans, Romanians, Lithuanians, Indians, Paks, Arabs, Somalis, Mauritians, Australians (need I go on?) and claim to be Ireland.
sirpeter | Nov 18, 2011, 10:39 AM EST
That's quite a good advertisement.Still they left out the Irish rain.One of our main features.It's what makes everything so green.I guess Florida the sunshine state don't exactly advertise their exciting hurricanes and torrential downpours.
Searlit | Nov 18, 2011, 10:18 AM EST
Who loves you baby?
Murph46 | Nov 18, 2011, 10:03 AM EST
Is this a record.If not,what is ?Hooray Ireland,We'll be coming back over soon!Can't wait!
TiocfaidhArmani | Nov 18, 2011, 08:13 AM EST
Hotels in Dublin are the cheapest in Europe, which has probably helped.