Jimmy Deenihan
Ceist:2 Mr. Deenihan asked the Taoiseach the number of tourists travelling here from the United Kingdom for 2004 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31477/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 8 December 2004
Ceisteanna (2, 3)
Jimmy Deenihan
Ceist:3 Mr. Deenihan asked the Taoiseach the number of tourists travelling here from the USA for 2004 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31476/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí ó Béal (40 píosaí cainte)
I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 3 together.
The latest relevant statistics from the CSO, with a breakdown of visitors by area of residence, relate to the period 1 January to 30 September 2004. Information on visitors from the USA is combined with the numbers from Canada. There were 781,000 overseas visits to Ireland by residents of the USA and Canada in the first nine months of this year compared with a figure of 719,000 in the same period last year. This represents an increase of 8.6%. There were 2.841 million overseas visits to Ireland by residents of Great Britain in the first nine months of 2004 compared with 2.878 million in the same period of 2003. This represents a fall of 1.3% in travel from Great Britain.
Overall, there were 5.147 million overseas visits to Ireland between January and September this year. This compares with 5.009 million overseas visits in the first nine months of 2003, an increase of 138,000 or 2.8% in the number of inbound visitors.
I realise this is a statistical question but, nevertheless, surely the Minister of State must be concerned about the drop in the number of visitors from the UK in September which was down 6.2% on September 2003 and down 2.8% for the third quarter.
The Chair is reluctant to intervene but this is purely a statistical question to the Minister of State. Questions on the tourism industry are for the line Minister, the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism.
I realise that. I was just making an observation. In regard to the method of collecting data, surely the Minister of State agrees that the interval between the collection of data and their publication is too long. This information is critical to the tourism industry as it is a barometer for it at a particular time. I am sure the Minister of State will agree the publication of this material takes far too long to enable the industry and the agencies, both Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland, to respond. Will the Minister of State give the House an assurance that he will examine the interval between the collection and publication of such material? Will he also indicate what is the current interval? If I asked the Minister of State about the regional spread of visitors coming here, he would not be able to provide the statistics because there is no regional breakdown on the numbers of people coming into Ireland. There is no way in which we can compare regional performance without those figures. In certain parts of the country people may say they did not see a tourist this year but there is no way to confirm or deny whether that is so. In providing future statistics, will the Minister of State also be able to include regional spread? From the point of view of spatial planning and regionalisation generally, surely it is important for the Government to know where tourists are going. It is obvious that they are staying in Dublin and the eastern region generally but, from the point of view of spatial strategy, it is important to know why tourists are going to certain areas and not others. If certain destinations are doing well, we should have the relevant statistics and the reasons why.
I agree with the Deputy that the more up-to-date information we have the better. I am furnishing the House with figures from 1 January to 30 September 2004. We went through these figures recently in the House and, from memory, the most recent figures became available on the same day. I will convey the Deputy's views to the Central Statistics Office on the need for updated information. On the last occasion, we had an extensive debate on this matter in the House and discussed the issue of regional considerations. I think we covered them quite adequately at the time.
Surveys are carried out at the main ports and airports. The CSO is examining the issue of regional focus and is considering looking at regional airports, including Kerry Airport. Following the last debate, I spoke to representatives of the CSO and they are aware of the comments that have been made in the House. They will do their best to follow up on the points that have been raised.
As regards the tourism balance of payments, does the Minister of State have statistics to show what Irish people going out of the country spent, as opposed to what was spent by those coming into the country? In September, for example, Irish people leaving the country spent €97 million more in foreign destinations than tourists coming into the country spent here. Therefore, there is a deficit in the tourism balance of payments, which should surely give rise to concern. I would like the Minister of State to provide statistics for the year to date on outward expenditure versus spending here in Ireland.
I have some of the data here but I will forward to the Deputy any material I do not have to hand. My file contains a table showing the number of overseas visitors to Ireland and their expenditure here. The figures relate to the first nine months of 2002, 2003 and 2004, classified by areas of residence. It contains a breakdown on Great Britain, other Europe, USA and others. The total from January to September 2002 is 4,779,000, while for the same period in 2003 it was 5,009,000.
Is that the expenditure?
Yes, that is the total expenditure by overseas visitors.
Those are the visitor numbers.
My apologies, that is the number of visits. I am reading from the wrong chart. The totals are €2.43 billion, €2.5 billion and €2.55 billion. I will be glad to convey those figures to the Deputy in writing. The information is there, however.
Do the USA figures include the illegal transportation of American troops through Shannon for the criminal war in Iraq? Will the Minister of State tell us what the total would be if these troop numbers were included? If they are not included, will he tell us what is the omitted figure?
My first answer will nullify the other answers. These people are not included.
What about people being brought to Guantanamo Bay?
What would the figure be if they were included?
I do not know. The Deputy will have to direct his question elsewhere. I do not have the answer.
These people arrive here, they land on Irish soil——
They drink Irish coffee.
——they drink Irish coffee and partake of our hospitality in various ways.
It is great for the economy.
They are tourists, in some sense, so why would they not be included in the figures? Will the Minister of State seek to include them in the figures in order to give a truer picture of the reality of transport through Shannon?
It would boost the Minister of State's figures.
I answered this question on the last occasion. They are not included as far as the CSO is concerned.
They do not exist.
If they are included by any other Department, however, I will be glad to seek them for the Deputy.
What about the prisoners being brought to Guantanamo Bay?
They do not get the Irish coffee.
What sort of detail is compiled on visitors coming into the country? Does it include their reasons for coming here, rather than any other destination? Do visitors believe that this country provides value for money? We should have these statistics. The opinions of tourists leaving the country should be polled so we can design and develop information campaigns targeting visitors. We should know why visitors come to a particular location here. Is it because of the type of advertising that is run abroad? Is that type of information currently being collated and, if not, does the CSO have any plans to collate it?
The categories under which these questions are posed include business, visits to friends or relatives, holidays, leisure and recreation. There is another category for "other reasons". We had a lengthy discussion the last time this matter was raised and the CSO is examining some of the suggestions that were made then.
The Minister of State referred to the amount of money being spent by tourists travelling from the USA and the UK. Can he say whether the figure is more or less than the amount being spent by Irish people abroad? According to one newspaper report, some 16% of disposable income is being spent abroad. In that context, is a balance being struck or are tourists here spending more than Irish people on foreign holidays?
That matter is not included in the two questions under discussion.
The Minister of State raised it in terms of money being spent.
That matter is not included as regards this particular question but I recall informing the House on the last occasion that the figures for people travelling abroad have increased dramatically. I will be glad to obtain figures for the Deputy on the numbers travelling abroad. We touched on that matter on the last occasion we debated the issue.
Are Irish people living abroad who return to visit their families or to attend weddings or funerals, as well as students coming to study here, included in the figures provided by the Minister of State?
People omitted from these figures include those going on business trips to London or Brussels, for example, or those travelling to football matches in the UK or other places. People coming here from abroad to visit relatives and so on will be included. I will check the position regarding students and return to the Deputy.
My point is that we are not getting many visitors from the UK. Some 50% or more consist of Irish people coming back to visit.
The Deputy is moving onto another issue.
It is an important point.
I wish to ask a version of the question posed earlier by Deputy Deenihan regarding the availability of statistics for visitors to different regions of Ireland. Are there corresponding statistics to indicate from which regions in different countries, such as the US and UK, visitors come? The majority of US citizens do not hold a passport so visitors from that country are obviously concentrated in particular areas. In addition, there are variations in wealth in different regions of the UK. Information in this regard would be helpful in terms of marketing the country abroad and of identifying the type of tourist we attract. Does the CSO collaborate with other statistical organisations in the US and the UK to look for that type of detailed information? Do we correlate our information with that available from these other organisations?
I presume such collaboration is in place but will verify that for Deputy Boyle. It is important that such information be obtained by the CSO. The latter carries out professional work on a daily basis, undertaken in various ports and airports. It is practical to ask a visitor from the US, for example, in which region of that country he or she resides. I will convey the Deputy's suggestions to the CSO and pass on any relevant information to him.