Extra flights set to boost US tourist numbers
The number of American tourists visiting Ireland could hit the million mark for the first time in five years next summer with the launch of new transatlantic flights.
Delta Air Lines will operate daily services to Dublin and Shannon from New York and Atlanta, Georgia, bringing in 110,000 extra visitors during peak season.
It is five years since the million barrier was reached but numbers are improving, with 977,000 holidaymakers making the trip over from the US and Canada last year, according to Central Statistics Office figures.
Tourism Minister John O’Donoghue said the major expansion by the airline was a huge boost to the hospitality trade.
“It is particularly gratifying that a carrier with such long-standing and hands-on experience of transatlantic air services into these shores is expressing such confidence in Ireland as a travel destination,” the Minister said.
“The expansion being undertaken represents the biggest route service increases to any destination within the route network served by the airline.”
Delta will offer daily scheduled services from New York’s JFK Airport and Atlanta to Dublin and Shannon. The new services will more than double the carrier’s seat capacity, adding 110,000 extra seats in the summer.
It is hoped the extra flights could help visitor numbers back to the million mark last seen in 2000.
Paul O’Toole, Tourism Ireland chief executive, said: “The airline has been a valuable travel trade partner with Ireland’s tourism industry for many years, and their decision is based on a substantial fund of knowledge about the quality of Ireland’s destination product.
“Clearly, it is also a decision that results from an intensive review of the performance and potential of routes into Ireland for the airline.”
Mr O’Toole insisted that increasing access to Ireland was a strategic priority for tourism chiefs and said it was critical that conditions needed for the growth of low fares and transatlantic services were in place.
