The number of visitors to the Republic is expected to top eight million in 2007, building on a strong performance in 2006 which saw a reversal of previous declines in all key markets including the United States.
Confirming previous findings from the Central Statistics Office, the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (Itic) yesterday said visitors from North America returned to pre-September 2001 levels, while numbers from the three other key markets (Europe, Britain and the domestic sector) all performed well.
Significantly, the Itic said visitor numbers to the southwest, midwest and the west were 14 to 15 per cent above 2005 levels. The number of visitors to the east, particularly Dublin, grew by 6 per cent.
Visitors from Europe constituted the highest percentage growth at 16 per cent, crossing the two million mark for the first time, at 2.2 million. Expenditure also grew significantly from home holidays which showed a strong growth rate of 11 per cent. Domestic revenue is expected to exceed €1.3 billion, while revenue generated by overseas visits will be close to €4 billion.
When carrier receipts are taken into account, the figure is expected to rise to more than €6 billion.
While the results were impressive, Itic chairwoman Catherine Reilly warned that sustaining growth beyond next year would depend on continuing improvements in access - particularly through Dublin airport.
She also said two areas, bed and breakfast accommodation and Shannon river cruising had not performed as well as they might.
For Ireland to remain competitive, the Itic is calling for greater product innovation and development in line with the findings of Fáilte Ireland and an industry working group which produced the Tourism Product Development Strategy 2007 -2013.
The strategy proposes a framework and policy guidance for the long-term development of the tourism product in Ireland.
It also suggests that investment is necessary in major new events and that the industry needs to deliver continuous product innovation.
"We would like to see much greater investment in our publicly owned cultural and heritage attractions," said Ms Reilly. "Major investment in the whole tourist sector is needed and we are calling on Government to recognise this under the new National Development Plan."
"Ireland has been at a disadvantage to other European countries because of the lack of an impressive conference facility," Ms Reilly said.