Taoiseach Promotes Ireland in Spain

Taoiseach Promotes Ireland in Spain

Taoiseach Enda Kenny was in Madrid last month to meet with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. He also met with Tourism Ireland staff, as well as leading Spanish tour operators and airlines who programme and sell holidays to Ireland. Spain is an important market for tourism to the island of Ireland. Travel by Spaniards to Ireland has grown significantly over the past 15 years, going from just 90,000 Spanish visitors in 2000 to a record 340,000 visitors in 2015. And 2016 was another record-breaking year, with estimated visitor numbers up +12%, to 380,000. Tourism Ireland is targeting growth of +4% in Spanish visitors to Ireland this year. Spaniards consistently rank Ireland in their ‘top ten’ destinations to visit, and more than 20% of all Spanish visitors to Ireland arrive in the off-season or Q4.