Ireland’s tourism turn-around

Ireland’s tourism industry has received a boost, with increased international arrivals and visitor spending up.
Data released by the Central Statistics Office revealed overseas visitor spending for 2012 rose 4.5 percent year-on-year to almost €3.7 billion, the Irish Times reported.
International travellers took more than 6.5 million trips to Ireland in 2012, up 0.2 percent on 2011 figures.
Although visitor nights by overseas travellers fell by 4.7 percent year-on-year, hotel bed-nights rose 13 percent in 2012 compared to the previous year.
Business travel to Ireland witnessed the largest increase in 2012, up 7.7 percent compared to 2011.
While British travellers to Ireland dropped 3.6 percent in 2012 and recorded a million fewer bed nights than in 2011, they remained the highest (28 percent) market for overseas visitor spending.
The Irish were on the move in 2012, with international trips by Irish residents up 0.5 percent on 2011 numbers.
Total spending by Irish residents on overseas travel fell by 5.8 percent in 2012, compared to 2011.

Sourced: etravelblackboard