Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 11 May 1994

Vol. 442 No. 6

Written Answers. - Tourism Statistics.

Austin Deasy

Question:

25 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the number of Japanese tourists who visited Dublin, London, Paris and Rome respectively in the last full year for which figures are available; and the plans, if any, he has to increase the number of Japanese tourists to Ireland.

Godfrey Timmins

Question:

33 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the number of American tourists who visited Dublin, London, Paris and Rome respectively in the last full year for which figures are available.

Minister for Tourism and Trade (Mr. McCreevy)

It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 25 and 33 together.

I understand from Bord Fáilte that there no statistics available on the number of Japanese who spent an overnight in Dublin and that there are no figures published for those travelling to London, Paris or Rome. However, the overall number of Japanese tourists to Ireland in 1993 was 19,000, an increase of 34 per cent over 1992.

Bord Fáilte and Aer Lingus are actively working in the Japanese market through one of Japan's leading tour wholesalers. In addition I have allocated £100,000 this year to develop and expand our tourist marketing in Japan and it is expected that an additional 5,000 Japanese visitors will travel to Ireland as a result.

I also understand that there are no statistics available for the number of US tourists to London, Paris or Rome. However, the number of North American tourists to Ireland in 1993 was 422,000, an increase of 1 per cent over 1992. An estimated 376,000 were US residents and 46,000 were Canadians. Approximately 62 per cent of US tourists, i.e. 234,000 persons spent at least an overnight in the Dublin region in 1993.