Number of overseas visitors falls slightly in July
The number of overseas visitors to Ireland fell slightly in July, new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show.
1.15 million people travelled to Ireland in July, a drop of 0.5% on the same time last year.
Fewer people visited Ireland from continental Europe and North America.
However, there was an increase in the numbers visiting from Britain and other areas.
Meanwhile, the total number of overseas trips made by Irish residents during July increased by 7% to 968,900.
In the seven months to the end of July, the total number of trips to Ireland increased by 2.8% compared to the same time last year
Irish residents' trips overseas during the same period increased by 7.3%.
Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said: “Today’s figures from the CSO indicate that overseas arrivals increased by 2.8% in the first seven months of 2019, around 170,600 more than in January-July 2018. However, the month of July has shown a continuing weak trend – with a fall of 0.5%.
“The figures for January to July indicate a very mixed picture – with a modest performance and some continuing underlying weakness from Britain (+0.5%) and Mainland Europe (+2.2%), but with North America (+6.4%) and long-haul markets (+7.1%) showing growth so far this year. Feedback from industry partners on the ground suggests weaker demand in the peak summer season and a late booking pattern, with concern being expressed for the remainder of 2019.
“The summer air access picture has been positive, with 2.5% more seats available. However, air access capacity has deteriorated during the year – with the discontinuation of Norwegian flights from New York, Boston and Toronto, the suspension of the Hainan Airlines flight from Beijing until 2020 and the cancellation of its service from Shenzhen, as well as the delayed delivery of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
Brexit certainly remains a very real and ongoing challenge, giving rise to consumer concern, particularly in Britain and some Mainland European markets.
"The fall in the value of sterling has made holidays here more expensive for British visitors – and has made Britain more affordable for visitors from many of our top markets. We will continue to monitor the situation closely with our industry colleagues," he said.
