The Irish Tourist Industry Confederation has said that a record number of visitors came to Ireland in 2007. But it has also said that tourism growth will be more modest next year.
According to the ITIC, almost eight million foreign tourists visited Ireland in 2007, resulting in revenue of €4 billion. But the organisation has warned that the weak dollar and rising oil prices are likely to create difficulties next year.
There is also concern that average amount spent by each overseas visitor has declined, partially due to shorter visits.
The ITIC hopes that extra capacity and new gateways from the US as a result of the Open Skies agreement next year will boost visitor numbers and help offset problems caused by the weak dollar. But the group admits that a substantial shift in direct transatlantic services from Shannon to Dublin would cause difficulties in the West in the short term.
