The number of visitors travelling to Northern Ireland will be over two million for the first time this year, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) predicted today.
Issuing its latest visitor figures, the NITB said it anticipated a 14 per cent increase in holiday visitors this year.
Chief executive Mr Alan Clarke, said based on January to September performance initial estimates for 2004 are the most encouraging yet, with an increase of 6 per cent in total visits to 2.059,000, while holiday visits also show a growth of 14 per cent to 406,000.
Indeed the figures show an increase in total visitor numbers of 23 per cent since 2000, and a rise of 33 per cent in holiday visitors.
"We anticipate an extra 51,000 holidaymakers - mainly from North America, Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland."
He said tourism revenue for the year was estimated at £312m sterling, up 5 per cent in real terms.
All markets were on the increase, said the NITB, with greatest growth seen from North America, up 25 per cent on last year.
Britain continued to account for the vast majority of visitors, and while numbers were up just 4 per cent on the year, they were up almost 50 per cent since 2000.
With the July marching season being more peaceful than for years, the NITB said it was "particularly pleasing" to report the month recorded the highest ever visitor figures.
Mr Clarke said the challenge now was to sustain the growth. "To this end, over the past 12 months NITB has launched the Framework for Tourism in Northern Ireland - a blueprint for the whole industry for the coming years - and we're confident that its delivery will significantly help to grow
tourism long-term," he said.
He also pointed to the fact that access to the province had never been better with a number of new air services announced during the year. "This too bodes well for the future."
PA