Record Tourist Numbers In First Half Of 2015
A record number of tourists visited Ireland during the first half of 2015 as the year shapes up to be the best ever for overseas visitors.
The first six months of the year saw an “exceptional” 11.7% growth in visitor numbers, according to new official figures.
A record 3,876,200 visitors came to Ireland during the period January to June – up an additional 407,100 on the first half of 2014.
Tourism Ireland said the first half figures indicated that Ireland is on track for a record tourism year.
CEO Niall Gibbons said the organisation’s aim was “to ensure that 2015 is the best year ever for Irish tourism.”
He said he was delighted to see growth from all the Irish tourism markets around the world. A record 659,000 first half visitors came from the US – up 15% on the same period last year. Long haul markets grew by 12%.
Mr Gibbons said mainland Europe had “also turned in a stellar performance” with over 1.37 million visitors, a rise of 13%.
He hailed the “fantastic growth” from important markets such as Germany (+12%), France (+13%), Italy (+32%), Spain (+15%), the Nordic region (+5%) and Benelux (+11%).
Mr Gibbons also welcomed the strong 9.4% increase in visitors from Britain – Ireland’s largest tourism market. Just over 1.61 million people from Britain travelled here during the first six months.
He said the overall figures “very much reflect the sentiment expressed by our tourism industry partners overseas, including tour operators and carriers, as well as tourism businesses here at home.”
He added: “Promoting the Wild Atlantic Way and the Causeway Coastal Route continues to be a major focus for Tourism Ireland around the world in 2015.
“We are also showcasing the new Dublin Discovery Trails and paving the way for Ireland’s Ancient East and the Gobbins Cliff Path on the North Antrim coast.
“2015 marks 150 years since the birth of Nobel laureate, WB Yeats, and Tourism Ireland is promoting Yeats2015, particularly to our ‘culturally curious’ audience. This year has also been designated ID2015 - the Year of Irish Design - a showcase of the best of Irish design.”