Visitor numbers increase despite fall in trips from Britain

VISITOR NUMBERS to the State have increased by 0.7 per cent despite a fall in trips from the “difficult” British market.

The number of visits to the State increased by 12,300 to 1,817,300 between April and June this year compared with the same period last year, the Central Statistics Office said yesterday.

The visitor numbers in the three-month period were up despite a 3.4 per cent (25,500) fall in trips from the State’s largest tourism market, Britain. There were big increases in visitor numbers from other European markets, North America and Australasia.

Visits from other European countries increased by 3.8 per cent (up 24,800), north American visitors increased by 0.6 per cent (up 1,900) and from other parts of the world by 11.9 per cent (up 11,100).

Despite record rainfall levels in June, the number of trips abroad by Irish residents fell by 1.5 per cent (or 25,500) in the period from April to June.

Total visits to Ireland remained static for the first six months of 2012 compared with the same period last year.

Tourism Ireland chief executive Niall Gibbons said the flat figures for the first six months reflected the “global economic conditions” and euro zone problems.