- Visitor numbers up 27.4pc
- Will pass 2008 record of 1,659k
Irish visits to Spain will reach a record 1,755k in 2016 if current trends continue. Visitor numbers to the end of August are up 27.4pc on 2015.
Spain’s statistical unit reports that 1,245,767 Irish tourists travelled to Spain in the first eight months of the year. Spain attracted 1,377,965 Irish visitors in 2015. The trend means that the pre-recessionary records of 2006 (1,558k), 2007 (1,643k) and 2008 (1,659k) are likely to be passed for the first time. Numbers fell to 1,176k in 2011.
Irish tourism to Spain remains highly seasonal with 50pc of trips by Irish residents will take place during the months of May, June, July and August.
Six regions account for 93.6pc of Irish visits to Spain: Canaries, Andalusia, Catalonia, Madrid, Valencia and Balearic Islands. The big growers, reflecting extra air capacity off a low base, are Galicia (up 75.61pc) and Murcia (up 39.4pc).
Up until August Irish and Spanish airlines and charter tour operators placed 1.4m seats outbound to Spain. Capacity of the airlines for Winter 2016 (Oct-March) from Ireland to Spain is forecast at 830,185 seats.
The results were announced at an event in Dublin. Cormac Meehan, president of the ITAA said “it is all about the diversity of the product and there are all types of products they have to offer. It is about partnership”. See more pictures here or connect with the album on Facebook.
