The number of Chinese visitors to Ireland is expected to increase ten-fold following the announcement of a major marketing drive by Tourism Ireland.
The announcement was made this morning when Tourism Ireland opened its first office in China.
The office was officially opened by Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment, Micheál Martin, who is leading a week-long trade visit to Asia.
Figures from the World Tourism Organisation predict China will have the largest outbound tourism market in the world by 2020.
Last year, 5,000 Chinese tourists came to Ireland. Speaking in Shanghai this morning, Minister Martin said Tourism Ireland had set a target of 50,000 Chinese visitors per year by 2009, resulting in a €100 million boost to the Irish economy.
It was also announced this morning that businessman Denis O'Brien is to invest at least €10 million in the development of an online recruitment business in the Chinese market.
Mr O'Brien's company, Keyland, which recently acquired the Shanghai-based SHjobs.com, is in negotiations with a number of other online businesses in Beijing and The Guangdong province.
