Tourism Ireland targets 4% rise in visitors in 2016
Tourism Ireland is aiming for another record year in 2016, with 8.2 million visitors expected, a 4% increase on this year.
2015 has been the best year yet with 7.9 million tourists due to visit, and the Government aims to build on that with the release of the new Star Wars film that showcases Skellig Michael in Co Kerry.
The biggest growth areas for tourists are Australia, up by two thirds, US Visitors have grown by 51% since 2010, followed by a 38% rise in visitors from Mainland Europe.
The Tourism Minister Paschal Donohoe says he is confident hotels and other accommodation providers will be able to keep up with the growing demand.
"We're very confident that we're going to have the second record year in a row for Irish tourism, we're going to have 8.2 million visits to our country, seeing just over €4.4bn being spent all over the island.
"And because of those kind of figures, because of that kind of investment, I am confident that in the coming years we'll see capacity through hotels within Dublin and across our country begin to stabilise and then grow."
