Tourism boom works both ways

IRISH tourists made more than one million holiday trips abroad in 1994 and pent £529 million outside the Irish economy, according to the Central Statistics Office.

In the same year foreign tourists spent £549 million in Ireland, producing a net "profit" to the economy from tourism of only £20 million.

The success of inward tourism in the 1990s is obvious from the increasing number of holiday makers pumping more and more money into the economy.

But it is a lesser known fact that while Europeans, Americans and Asians throng our streets, the number of Irish tourists holidaying abroad is also burgeoning.

The overall figures for visitors to Ireland and trips abroad by Irish residents when business and family related travel are included are much higher than the figures for holidaymakers only and the profits to the economy from international travel are more substantial.

But the general trend would seem to be neither up nor down during the 1990s.

The trend for the financial surplus from holidaymakers moves steadily upwards.

However, the net growth suffered major and costly dips every time the Irish soccer team were scheduled for World Cup or European Cup finals.

For example, the net gain to the economy was £101 million in 1991 but fell to £33 million in 1992.

In 1990, 190,000 sun holidays were sold. This year tour operators are confident that more than double that number will sun themselves on beaches in Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey and other destinations.

Although there is a common perception that the popularity of the Spanish sun holiday has peaked, the opposite is the case, according to Mr Brendan Moran, chief executive of the Irish Travel Agents Association.

"Spain and Portugal still dominate the market for sun holidays, accounting for close to 50 per cent of the summer packages."

Other hot spots are Greece, Italy, Malta, and North Africa. Budget Holidays, which has already opened up charter holidays to the Bahamas, this year offers packages to Mexico.

YOUNG single adults and young families, in the lower and middle income brackets, are the biggest buyers of sun holidays to Europe.

But the sector still accounts for a little more than one third of all trips abroad, despite its high take up on "sun" offers.

Britain remains a favourite destination for the Irish holidaymaker.

Ease of access, the absence of language difficulties and familiarity with the currency make it attractive.

According to the French tourist board, 250,000 to 300,000 Irish people visit France each year.

The figure is vague, says a spokesman, because Irish people travelling to France via the Chunnel are classified as British.

"The most popular [method] is people using mobile homes, tents, and caravans, says a spokesman.

"After that we get gites, and then people on long weekends in Paris. We get a lot of repeat visitors."

In 1994, 9 per cent of Irish trips abroad were to the United States. Almost one in to of these, says Bord Failte, was due to the World Cup.

The more usual market share for the US is 7 per cent. "Trips to Florida are growing very strongly," he says. "People are going for the golf and to visit Disneyworld."

Short break holiday operators are experiencing "phenomenal growth" in demand and it is to London that most people are travelling.

Along with these destinations, Irish people are taking to the "long haul" journey.

Trips to Asia are coming within the price range of the average middle class earner, says Mr Stuart Robertson of Twohig Travel.

"This year for the first time we are including special packages for family groups to Asia."

It is because Irish people are flocking in such large numbers to Europe that those who can afford it are looking to travel further afield, adds Mr Robertson.