Galway bucks trensd on tourists

Date Published: 26-Jun-2008

The country may be facing into a recession and into a “challenging year for tourism” – but as the season locally gets into full swing, the indications are that Galway will buck the trend and remain as a popular destination on both the international and domestic front.

According to the Director of Regional Development at Fáilte Ireland, John Concannon figures up to the end of May show that Galway has been the number one shortbreak destination in the country and it is expected it will hold its own in the tourism market this summer.

“The region of Galway, Mayo and Roscommon generate €1.9billion for the economy every year, with Galway being the main engine for tourism in the west – we would expect to generate those kind of figures again this year even though it will be a more challenging year for tourism,” Mr Concannon said.

Indications at this point do however suggest that the usual source of visitors toGalway has shifted slightly, with less visitors coming from the United States andmore arriving from Europe.

“We know this year there will be less people from the United States because of a number of factors – soaring oil prices are driving air fares up and the weakness of the dollar will all contribute to a decline in the number of Americans that will visit,” Mr Concannon said.

However, there has ……….