Source: CSO

The number of visitors to Ireland plunged by over 18% in May, according to figures issued today by the Central Statistics Office. Irish residents made just over 610,000 overseas trips in May 2009, almost 10% less than in May 2008.

Visits fell by 18.4% in May when compared to the same period in 2008.

The most affected market was those coming from Britain, with 306,400 people visiting, representing a drop of nearly 23%.

Visits from North America, rose 200, compared with May 2008 to 105,900.

In the first five months of 2009, overseas trips, by Irish residents at 2,729,400, were 10.4% less than in the same period in 2008. Visits from abroad fell by 9.6% to 2,667,500.

The CSO “Airport Pairings” database contains information of every direct flight in and out of the nine Irish airports on a monthly basis. Data is available from January 2006 to January 2009. For details here. 

Olivia Mitchell TD, Fine Gael tourism spokeswoman, termed the fall in visitor numbers as“nothing short of catastrophic.”

Mitchell said: “The worst fears of all those working in the tourism industry have been realised, the summer season is a bust.”

She said the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism Martin Cullen has repeatedly ignored the warning signs in recent months and “refused to put in place policies to aid Irish tourism.”

“Now, reports from the industry are that many of the businesses will be out of business in a matter of months,” she said.

Ryanair "welcomed the CSO May traffic figures which confirm that 150,000 (18%) fewer visitors to Ireland in May due to the introduction of the Government’s €10 tourist tax. Ryanair grew by 9% or over 500,000 passengers in the same period."

The low-fares airline said the biggest fall in passenger traffic was between the UK and Ireland, which impose tourist taxes of £10 and €10 respectively. Ryanair says it warned that unless the Irish Government’s €10 tourist tax is scrapped, the fall in inward tourism will worsen next winter, as more flights and services are cut from Dublin Airport.

The UK is currently experiencing a severe recession, which is likely the main reason for the dip.

Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said: “CSO figures show an 18% drop in inward passengers in May. The loss of these 150,000 visitors confirms that the collapse in Irish tourism is accelerating as the Irish Government’s €10 visitor tax makes Ireland an uncompetitive tourist market. Ireland’s most important market declined by 23% as UK visitors abandon Ireland due to the Irish Government’s €10 tourist tax which they are asked to pay in addition to the UK Government’s £10 Air Passenger Duty.

In recent months the Belgian, Dutch, Greek and Spanish governments have all scrapped tourist taxes and/or reduced airport charges to zero in order to stimulate tourism. The Irish Government cannot grow inward tourism by taxing it and must scrap their €10 tourist tax.”

Matthew Ryan, President, Irish Hotels Federation, proposed extending the current free travel on public transport scheme for Irish citizens aged 66 to all UK citizens in the same age category would send a highly positive tourism marketing message to the UK and tap into the 9.5 million people aged over 66 in that jurisdiction.
 
 “It is an intelligent use of an unused resource and would impose no substantial additional costs to Irish Rail and could be a major catalyst to increasing our attractiveness in UK market. This, combined with the extensive value offers the industry is currently offering, would make a compelling marketing campaign for our most important overseas tourism market.

The State already subsidies CIE by over €320 million a year; it is a significant element of our tourism infrastructure and it appears there is substantial excess capacity on rail and bus services particularly at off peak times. It simply makes good sense. It costs nothing and could mean everything to improve our tourism performance,” Ryan said.