Tourism industry 'nervous' over US visitor slowdown
The Irish tourism industry is expressing concern over a decline in North American visitor numbers and rising operational costs. In response, the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation is calling for government tax relief and has partnered with OpenAI to launch a training academy.
Why it matters
Tourism is a vital economic driver for Ireland, and shifts in visitor behavior from key markets like the US can have significant impacts on national revenue and employment.
Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Correspondent
Falling North American visitor numbers, higher costs and accommodation capacity are the main challenges facing the country's tourism sector, according to the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC).
The ITIC, which is holding its annual conference in Dublin today, is calling for a number of measures from Government to address the situation, including extending the 9% VAT rate to tourist attractions, which it said would "draw visitors into towns and communities throughout the country".
It comes as figures this week from the Central Statistics Office show visitor numbers to Ireland from North America fell by 3% in August compared with the same month last year, while spending by tourists from the region also fell by 3% to €262m.
North America is an important tourism market here, as US visitors in particular tend to stay longer and spend more than others visiting Ireland.
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