JacTravel,
the UK-based B2B wholesaler best
known for its extensive range of hotels
online and inbound travel
services is reporting an exceptional period
of growth
in tourism to Ireland over the past three
years, with particularly strong growth in the past year.
Since
2009 JacTravel’s business has grown strongly but travel
to Ireland has rocketed! Irish business has
increased 223%, more than double, whereas UK business has grown 111%.
JacTravel
puts this surge in growth down to measures taken by the Irish
government at the beginning of 2011 when it began to accept visitors
with UK tourist visas and slashed the rates of Air Passenger Duty,
from €10 in 2010 to €3 in 2011, and VAT applicable to Tourism
from 21% in 2010 to 9% in 2011.
JacTravel’s
booking data is significant in indicating the performance of the
destination because its customer base is highly diversified, with no
country or business being responsible for more than 5% of its sales.
JacTravel sells to the travel industry through traditional channels
and via XML, making bookings for independent travellers and groups.
JacTravel’s
Chief Executive Officer, Terry Williamson, said: “There’s no
doubt in my mind that the desirability of Ireland as a destination
has been enhanced by the pro-tourism measures taken by the Irish
government, which evidently understands the value of tourism as a
great way to earn foreign currency. Belfast (which is in Northern
Ireland) has been an accidental beneficiary of this initiative
because although it has not reduced taxes, it has profited from the
increase in visitors to Ireland as a whole. If Westminster were to
follow Dublin’s example, our industry would be hailed for being at
the heart of an export led recovery.
