The statistics between January and September from the Republic’s Central Statistics Office of Household Travel Survey shows that there were over 809,000 trips from the Republic to Northern Ireland compared to 530,000 in the same time in 2019, which included The Open at Royal Portrush and it was a record-breaking year.
Mr McGrillen stated that the recent statistics shows that Northern Ireland is decisively on the short break radar for people from Ireland.
He said that he was happy that the recent CSO statistics verify their own consumer testing in the last few years. What is more, their research shows that important number of people from South is coming to the North for leisure breaks for the first time. In addition two out of every three say they mean to come back.
NI tourism and its high profile Embrace a Giant Spirit re-brand has acted as a main role in propelling greater number of visitors and capitalizing on the current trend of staycation across the island that had started to flow before 2020 and was perked up by the pandemic.
Tags: Northern Ireland, Tourism NI, Tourism
