Ireland’s tourism industry welcomed 800,000 fewer visitors between January and October 2009 than during the same period last year, the latest figures from the CSO show.
Irish tourists also made fewer visits abroad this year, despite claims by travel agents in July that the expected trend toward “staycations” or holidaying at home had not materialised.
Britain proved the most popular destination for Irish tourists, with almost half of all Irish people venturing overseas in the recession choosing to travel there.
Some 7,877,364 overseas trips were made by Irish people for the year up to October 2009, 3,872,393 of which were to the UK.
Responding to the latest figures, Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland, said: “2009 has been one of the toughest years for tourism to the island of Ireland and for tourism worldwide and the CSO figures issued today reflect the impact on Ireland and on tourism businesses across the island”.
“Many international destinations have experienced significant declines and Ireland has been no exception, with an expected decline of -12 per cent in visitor numbers by year end,” he added.
Fine Gael tourism spokeswoman Olivia Mitchell claimed Government policy is a major cause of the collapse. "Martin Cullen's own advisors, the Tourism Renewal Group, pointed out that the Departure Tax should be abolished," she said. "Unfortunately the Government still sees fit to impose this daft tax. With thinking like that, the sector can only continue to suffer."