Tourism between Ireland and Northern Ireland is set to triple between 2013 and 2023, according to new research.
The study, carried out by the University of Ulster and Dublin City University, looked at levels of cross-border tourism and found that it had risen sharply in the decade leading up to last year.
In 2013, there were fewer than 100,000 cross-border trips per quarter, but over the decade that figure has risen to an average of 300,000. It is also reported that the Republic of Ireland receives more than four times as many international visitors as Northern Ireland. It is also reported that two-thirds of visitors to the Republic of Ireland are from the UK, while one-third of visitors to the Republic of Northern Ireland are from the UK.
‘Staycation’ tourism is an incredibly important and valuable part of the overall tourism industry on both sides of the border, generating millions of euros per year and pumping them back into the economy, and it also helps to foster a positive and mutually beneficial relationship between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, which social media users are celebrating.
Over at X, users reacted to the encouraging stats shared by DCU, with user @forlouth writing: “Amazing!… You should definitely read it!”
Professor John Doyle, vice-chancellor for research at Dublin City University, said the analysis “highlights real opportunities for economic growth, improved revenues and profitability for businesses and increased wages within the industry”.
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“Cooperation will benefit both parts of the island, but Northern Ireland should gain more, given the Republic of Ireland’s more developed tourism industry.”
“To bridge the gap with the Republic, public policy needs to go beyond current levels of cooperation and build a single tourism offering in marketing, visa requirements, taxes, regional development policies and, perhaps most importantly, visitor perception.”
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