17.5% jump in revenue from tourism as number visiting continues to rise – Griffin

Fine Gael TD for Kerry and Member of the Oireachtas Transport, Tourism and Sport Committee, Brendan Griffin, has welcomed the news that recent strong tourism figures have been matched by a 17.5% jump in revenue.

“The latest CSO figures show that revenue from overseas visitors this year has increased by 17.5% coinciding with a jump in the number of people visiting Ireland.

“The figures show that spending in Ireland by overseas visitors, excluding fares to get here, rose by 17.5%, for the first nine months of the year, compared with 2014. The data also shows that the number of trips in to Ireland rose by 19.6%.

“It is very encouraging to see that the rate of increase in the number of visitors and the rise in revenue are running at almost the same level. This would suggest that the spend is remaining consistent and that tourists are still finding value in the market. I believe this is vital for continued growth.

“Tourism revenue in the first nine months of the year amounted to over €3.3 billion which is a highly significant contribution to the Irish economy, benefitting every part of the country.

“Competitiveness and value will continue to be vitally important if we are to keep the recovery going and grow the tourism sector further. It is essential that we remain vigilant to ensure that this value is maintained.

“This Government has introduced a number of measures to revitalise and invigorate the tourism industry in Ireland; the Gathering dedicated a whole year to promoting tourism, the travel tax has been dropped and, most significantly, VAT has been reduced in the hospitality sector. The tourism sector supports 200,000 jobs and I expect this to increase as we see more growth.

“Tourism has been through a boom and bust cycle and we are determined not to repeat the mistakes of the past. With an emphasis on competitiveness and providing a quality tourism offering, I am confident that the industry can continue to grow and to inject more revenue into local communities.”