Slow travel, longer stays and ‘set-jetting’: Tourism Ireland gears up for bumper 2024
Ed RobertsonEd Robertson speaks to Tourism Ireland’s chief executive designate Alice Mansergh to discover what’s new in the destination this year – and for 2024.
Tourism Ireland is confident of a strong 2024 having seen this year’s tourism numbers beat those of 2019, the last year before Covid closed down global leisure travel.
Alice Mansergh, the new chief executive designate who took on the role in September, reveals new data – provided by global data company STR – shows hotel occupancy figures at 79% from January to August 2023 in the Republic of Ireland, which is 1% more than in the same period in 2019. Northern Ireland’s growth was even better over the same timescale at 3%, having recorded a hotel occupancy rate of 75%.
This feel-good factor is also apparent across Ireland’s other tourism businesses, with Failte Ireland’s latest Tourism Barometer showing 62% businesses say their overseas earnings are up compared with 2022.
The immediate future is also looking strong; aviation analyst OAG report salmost 2.2 million seats have been filed by airlines for December 2023 to Ireland, which is 109% of December 2019 capacity.
“To put this in perspective, our nearest competitors – Great Britain and Scotland – are filed at 99% and 96% respectively, so we are excelling in the restoration of direct air access," says Mansergh in what is her first trade press interview as chief executive designate.
Outdoor experiences
Much of the growth is being driven by the continuing trend for wellness travel, with Ireland’s abundant countryside providing the perfect opportunity for travellers to get out and enjoy nature through activities including kayaking, cycling, hiking, foraging and visiting dark-sky reserves.
“Set-jetting”, where tourists visit locations made famous by films and television, remains popular too, with Inishmore and Achill Island most recently reporting a tourism boost having provided the backdrop for Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell film The Banshees of Inisherin.
Mansergh is also predicting growth in slow travel for 2024, something Tourism Ireland is keen to develop by highlighting iconic destinations outside of Dublin and Belfast, from the best-known spots to hidden gems, next year. “We will encourage holidaymakers to embrace slow travel, staying longer and venturing beyond the big cities,” Mansergh continues.
She adds "Travel by ferry has increased from key markets like France – Stena Line alone has doubled from France to Ireland – and we know when visitors come by ferry, they’re inclined to stay longer.”
Mansergh is also keen to take advantage of Belfast 2024, a series of local events due to be held next year to celebrate the city’s cultural life as a way of highlighting other Northern Irish attractions, from the Giant’s Causeway to the Derry Girls Experience in the Tower Museum, Derry-Londonderry.
Rooms to spare
While Mansergh admits the market remains competitive due to rising living costs, there is plenty of new accommodation available following a spate of hotel openings this year.
New hotels include Derry-Londonderry’s first spa hotel with 93 rooms (increasing to 152 rooms) while room2 Belfast offers 175 rooms in the heart of the city.
Dublin’s new properties in 2023 include NYX Hotel Dublin with 175 rooms and The Chancery Hotel offering 150 rooms, while the Hoxton Dublin will open in 2024 with 129 beds.
10 YEARS OF THE WILD ATLANTIC WAY
One of the biggest celebrations planned by Tourism Ireland in 2024 is for the 10th anniversary of the Wild Atlantic Way. The 2,500km driving route stretches from County Donegal’s Inishowen Peninsula in Ulster to Kinsale, County Cork, in Munster, and combines various tourist attractions with the opportunity to experience the beauty and culture of Ireland’s West Coast.
Recent openings along the route include the new National Surf Centre in Sligo, the International Rugby Experience in Limerick and Ireland’s first blueway, a designated trail either at sea or in inland waters that require travellers to take to the water, named the Arranmore and Burtonport Blueway.
Alice Mansergh, chief executive designate for Tourism Ireland, says the tourist board’s travel trade partner McKinlay Kidd is launching a new EV tour, including a private seaweed themed beach walk on Derrynane’s shores, a guided kayaking tour off Inchydoney and an e-bike ride in Co Galway to mark the 10-year anniversary.
She will also be keeping an eye on tourism numbers in Donegal on the Wild Atlantic Way after it was awarded fourth place in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2024 guide book.
“The anniversary of the route being brought together provides us with a moment to celebrate what has been there for millennia – the dramatic landscapes, Gaelic culture, charming villages and sea islands,” she says.
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Ed Robertson
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