Overseas Trips Exceed Visitors For First Time In 18 Years

In 2008, overseas trips by Irish residents exceeded the number of trips to Ireland for the first time in 18 years.

Irish residents made 7,877,400 overseas trips while there were just 7,839,000 trips to Ireland.

Trips overseas increased by 2.1% from 2007.

On the other hand, trips to Ireland fell by 2.2% due mainly to a fall of 159,500 (4%) to 3,872,400 in the number of visits by travellers from Great Britain.

Visits from North America also fell by 6.4% to 1,004,600.

For December 2008, the number of overseas trips by Irish residents was down 11.3% to 491,100 from the same month in 2007.

This is in contrast to an increase of over a fifth between the same month in 2006 and 2007.

Martin Cullen T.D., the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism focused on the overall number of visitors for the year, saying that Irish tourism continues to show its resilience despite a remarkably challenging global environment: "Almost eight million overseas visitors came to Ireland in 2008 which is the second highest yearly figure ever recorded.

"To attract this number of visitors despite economic difficulties in most of our main overseas markets, is a huge tribute to all those involved in the tourism industry and defies the negative expectations of some."

He also warned that tough times still lie ahead for the Irish tourist industry in the coming year confirming that all the indications were that 2009 would be more challenging.

"I look forward to working with the hospitality industry and the key tourism agencies - Tourism Ireland, Fáilte Ireland - to help get us through this difficult period," he said. "I am very aware of the business environment at present, but I am confident that the tourism sector here is well-positioned to respond to this cyclical challenge and that together we will see the sector return to growth in the medium term."