Airlines report massive downturn in visitor numbers
Airlines carried 75,000 fewer people to Ireland every week last summer, it was disclosed today.
The economic slowdown was blamed for the falling passenger numbers north and south compared with summer 2008, the chief executive of Tourism Ireland added.
However, with economies in the United States and Germany growing and parts of Asia and Australia resilient, Niall Gibbons said there was the possibility of up to 8% growth this year.
"There has been a fall-off in consumer confidence. The number of people in Britain travelling overseas is back to the level it was in 2001. The tourist boards are fighting in a shrinking pool," he said.
Many people are not taking multiple breaks but confining their holidays to once a year, he added.
He warned global tourism had been in crisis for several years and confirmed the number of seats to the island of Ireland had fallen from 500,000 a week in 2008 to 425,000 last summer.
Overseas tourism business accounts for more than £270m (€316.2m) of all tourism revenue each year but has the capacity to deliver more. Approximately 1.4 million people visited Northern Ireland from overseas in 2010. Great Britain remains the largest market contributing 70% of all visitors and two thirds of revenue.
Ryanair ended its services from George Best Belfast City last autumn, part of a contraction of routes across the UK and Ireland. The Icelandic volcano also disrupted services.
DUP Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster meets British Chancellor George Osborne tomorrow to discuss airline duty.
She said the planes which replaced Ryanair in Belfast had less capacity and airlines faced a "double whammy" of tax and airport charges.
Ms Foster added that the tourism industry had always had to deal with threats from terrorism following recent high profile dissident republican attacks.
"I think the very strong political message that comes out can only help us in that regard," she added.
The minister joined Mr Gibbons in launching plans to promote the North in Belfast today.
Mr Gibbons added: "The global economic downturn has led to fundamental changes in the tourism and travel industry around the globe.
"Competition is fierce and the holiday choice available for people everywhere is vast, with many other tourism boards also targeting our traditional markets and customers more aggressively than ever."
Ms Foster said this year Tourism Ireland would work to deliver significant growth in the number of holidaymakers from Great Britain, by featuring distinctive Northern Ireland experiences and characters prominently in its marketing campaigns. Belfast will be promoted as a short break destination.
