Cementing the political and peace process in Northern Ireland should mean increased numbers of visitors and a reversal of the 10 per cent reduction in UK visitors to the North, according to Tourism Ireland chief Paul O'Toole.
Preliminary figures show that 1.7 million tourists from outside Ireland visited Northern Ireland this year, an increase of 2 per cent on the previous year, but that there was a significant reduction in the main British tourist market.
The decline in British visitors was blamed by tourism representatives on the parades violence of 2004, most seriously the loyalist and Orange Order violence at Whiterock in west Belfast in September of that year and also the nationalist rioting at Ardoyne on July 12th, 2004.
While the North experienced a relatively peaceful summer marching season this year the knock-on effect from 2004 led to the reduction in British visitors to 1.3 million this year, a drop of 10 per cent. This was costly as British visitors account for about three-quarters of all visitors to Northern Ireland.
Mr O'Toole, at the launch of the Tourism Ireland figures for the North in Belfast yesterday, said that Northern Ireland is a safe place to visit. Referring to the trouble of 2004 he added, "But negative stresses prey on people's minds and give an unfair impression to people of Northern Ireland." Political stability would help reverse that reduction, he said. "Northern Ireland has benefited from the peace process over the last number of years and obviously we would like to see the political process advanced," Mr O'Toole told The Irish Times.
Tourist spending increased by 3 per cent to a predicted £340 million (€505 million) for 2006. The target for 2007 is 1.9 million visitors spending £370 million.
Tourism chiefs see opportunities through reversing the British reduction and building on the European and North American markets. This year is expected to witness a strong 28 per cent growth in visitors from continental Europe to 226,000 visitors and a 14 per cent growth in North American visitors to 165,000.
Mr O'Toole said a "root and branch review" by Tourism Ireland highlighted opportunities ahead from North America.
"The review shows that best prospects for growth lie with frequent travellers to Europe, who are better-educated, better-off urban and suburban dwellers interested in the 'finer things'. Research also identified the latent potential of the Ulster Scots segment," he said.
Stephen Quinn, permanent secretary at the North's department for enterprise, trade and investment, said the future for Northern Ireland tourism had never looked better.
