The CSO said today the number of Irish Visits abroad from January to March 2009 was 1,540,000, a decrease of 13% on the corresponding period in 2008. This is the first fall in Irish trips abroad in Q1 since 2000. The largest decrease in trips taken was in the continental route where trips fell by 17% compared to Q1 2008. Trips on the seacross-channel route increased by 1%.

1,402,000 Overseas Visits were made to Ireland in the first Quarter of 2009 compared with 1,542,000 in the same period of 2008, a decrease of 9%. However, year on year comparisons between 2008 and 2009 should take account of Easter occurring in Quarter 1 in 2008 and Quarter 2 in 2009.

The number of Overseas Visits by residents of Great Britain decreased by 15%.

The number of Visits by residents of Other European Countries increased by 2% while visits by residents of Other Areas decreased by 14% on Q1 2008. Overseas Visits by residents of USA and Canada fell by 9%.

The expenditure figures for January - March 2009 show a net outflow of €606m.

Earnings from Visitors to Ireland accounted for €694m while expenditure by Irish Visitors Abroad amounted to €1,300m.

The Tourism figures also show that: The number of bed nights spent on Overseas Visits to Ireland decreased by 12% with the number of nights spent in hotels decreasing by 20%, compared to the same period in 2008.

The average length of stay decreased slightly for Visits to Ireland to 6.6 nights while Irish Visits abroad averaged 7.4 nights.

Responding to the CSO figures Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said: “The figures from the CSO are yet further confirmation that the Irish Government is committing “tourism suicide”. Passenger traffic through Dublin Airport fell by 1 million in the first five months of the year as the monthly rate of collapse increased to 15% in May. The Government’s ridiculous €10 travel tax, plus the Government-appointed Aviation Regulator’s proposed further increase in airport charges will ensure that Ireland is firmly on course to lose over 2.5 million passengers and 2,500 jobs in 2009 and continue to collapse into 2010. It seems ironic that the collapse of Irish Tourism and its devastating impact on jobs is ignored by this hapless Government as they prepare themselves for their 3 month holiday”.

The severe recession has of course a bigger impact than the tourist tax, as airline charges are usually a minor part of the cost of an overseas trip.