Tourist Board Of Ireland Announces More Tourist in 2016
Even though it’s hard to believe but it’s true! Tourism of Ireland has announced that there has been a recorded visit of over 10 million in a year and according to the Tourism of Ireland, the year 2019 looks even better.
In the year 2018, according to the tourism board, there were 10.5 million people who had visited Ireland, much more than 1.5 million people from the previous year, 2017.
According to the CEO of the tourist board, Niall Gibbons the year 2019 will be another record-breaking year for the island.
The Tourist board of Ireland has brilliant results from various countries – North America comprised more than eighteen percent of visitors than last year, 2018. Not only that, but an increase is also seen in the British tourists, by over eleven percent. Europe too also handed in excellent results, almost nine percent more than the year 2015 along with France and Germany, all handing in good reports.
Such is the popularity that ‘Donegal’ has been considered as the coolest place on the planet, according to National Geographic Traveller (November; UK).
In fact, it is the editor, Pat Riddell, who has said that a panel of the contributors of the magazine has considered many destinations for the list of cool places to visit in 2017. But Donegal is out of the world, something different than the rest!
What Contributed According To The Tourist Board Of Ireland To The High Influx Of Tourists?
According to the travel writer, Fionn Davenport, the real drawing power of Ireland is its traditional strengths, that is, the scenery, people and not to mention, the experience of coming to that place. Even though it may sound unnatural, a visitor with the idea of wandering around amongst ruins or cliffs followed by some live music will find the place intensely appealing.
There is a kind of gap as for how tourists see the island. While the ordinary people see Ireland as nothing but a place of modernity accompanied by motorways and macchiatos, it is the visitors who see something different – they see Ireland as a beautiful and a traditional country with lovely and stunning landscapes accompanied by warm and soft-spoken English people who are fond of enjoying themselves.
Some of the problems of tourism in Ireland:
Need of adequate infrastructure
Besides that, the hotel occupancy in Dublin has reached record levels according to the Tourist board of Ireland, due to the high demand for hotel beds and it is expected it will rise in the year 2017. To satisfy demand, according to the ITIC, Dublin needs close to a capacity of 5000 beds as the shortage of hotel beds not only affects the tourism business but also makes the city unable to attract overseas conferences.
Worries over Brexit
Another cause for worry to the Tourist board of Ireland is the impact Brexit will have on the Irish tourism industry in the coming year.
Shane Ross (Minister for Tourism) has expressed his concern about the result of the UK referendum on European Union membership and the challenges that will await the tourism industry in 2017. Hence, according to him, it’s paramount for Ireland to stand out as a top tourist spot in the overseas markets.
Even though there are good reasons for North America and the European markets in the coming year, signs are slowly showing that growth is declining in the UK market. It may be too early to say that what impact will Brexit will have on the Irish Tourism industry, but the uncertainty is bound to pose some challenges.
It is because of Brexit that it has been found that Tourist board of Ireland has increased the marketing budget towards the markets of North America as well as Europe (mainland) for the coming year, 2017.