asked the Minister for Transport and Power the number of visitors who entered the country in the month of April, 1966 and in the same month in 1967; if he is aware that so far this year there has been a great decline in the tourist industry in the west of Ireland generally; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Tourist Industry.
5.
I am informed by the Central Statistics Office that the provisional returns for April of the total number of passengers who arrived in this country by sea and air in that month show that the number of arrivals was lower than in April, 1966, but the decrease is offset by increased arrivals in March. This was no doubt caused by the fact that the Easter holiday fell in April last year and in March this year. Overall, there was an increase of about 5,000 in the number of passengers arriving by sea and air in the first four months of the year.
I am not aware of any decline in tourist traffic in the west of Ireland. It is much too early to make any firm forecast about the 1967 tourist season but the general indications are that tourist traffic will show an increase over 1966. Advance bookings on the cross-Channel car ferry services at a recent date were 20 per cent higher than at the corresponding date last year. The west of Ireland attracts a high proportion of motoring visitors and the West should, therefore, benefit from the increased traffic which is expected this year.