Dubai: Ireland expects the number of visitors from the Gulf to increase by more than 10 per cent this year, according to Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, a government funded agency.
“Over the last four years, we’ve seen the number of visitors from the GCC increase from 15,000 to 45,000,” Gibbons said. Tourism numbers from the Gulf are forecast to increase by 23 per cent over the next three years, according to agency data.
Last year, Ireland attracted eight million visitors, of which those from the Gulf made up 45,000, Tourism Ireland data shows. Gibbons said visitors from the UAE represented 75 per cent of those from the Gulf. The overall visitor inflow contributed €3.64 billion (Dh18.2 billion) to the Irish economy in 2013, the agency added.
Although visitors from the region account for a small percentage of hotel guests in Ireland, Gibbons expects the number to grow. Dublin, Galway, Cork and Killarney are the top destinations.
On average, tourists from the Gulf spent “over €1,000 per head ” in the island in recent years, according to Gibbons. With local carriers increasing the number of flights to Ireland, more visitors from the UAE are expected.
Convenient air travel
Emirates airline said that it will have double daily flights to Dublin from later this year, according to a statement issued by the carrier. “Emirates is keen to expand its presence in Ireland... We believe there is a growing demand for convenient air travel connections between Dublin to Dubai and onwards to our extensive network of over 135 global destinations,” the statement added.
Etihad Airways operates 10 flights a week between Abu Dhabi and Dublin. “ By the end of this year, we’re likely to have between 25 and 30 flights per week from this region into Dublin,” Gibbons said.
The Irish and British governments were planning to pilot a single visa for travel to the two countries in a move to boost tourism, according to international media reports. “With the additional air access capacity that’s going to be coming on stream this year and what eventually is going to be a common UK-Ireland travel visa, I think we’re going to be in a strong position,” Gibbons said.
