Queen didn't deliver numbers expected

BRITISH TOURISTS:There has been no upsurge in British visitor numbers despite the Queen's visit, the Fáilte Ireland chief executive Shaun Quinn has said. Mr Quinn said other markets were showing signs of recovery, but "we're picking up very few Brits".

He stated that the perception that Ireland was an expensive country to visit still prevailed in the UK and the relative strength of the euro against the pound was a “real killer” for us.

The British market is by far the most important for Irish tourism accounting for 45 per cent of overseas visitors.

Numbers were down by 18 per cent last year or 500,000 visitors and down 750,000 visitors from the peak in 2007. Fáilte Ireland has made attracting back British visitors a key part of their strategy to return the tourism industry to growth.

In a wide ranging interview with Hotel & Catering Reviewmagazine, Mr Quinn said the sluggish state of the British market may be down to the precarious state of the British economy. He also said that Ireland suffered from being neither a home market nor a foreign destination for British travellers and the perception of Ireland as a holiday destination was "falling between two stools".

He believed there may be an opportunity to promote Ireland as a staycation destination for British tourists or as a “quirky home market for them”.

Balanced against that Mr Quinn said there was an increase in North American visitors and both France and Germany were also providing more tourists.