The number of visitors flying to Ireland from the USA this summer is expected to reach 96% of pre-covid figures, according to Tourism Ireland.
The Irish tourism marketing body says that demand among Americans for holidays in Ireland this year is high, with the strong performance of the US dollar working in our favour.
A spokesperson for Tourism Ireland said: “The United States is the second-largest source market for tourism to the island of Ireland. In 2019, we welcomed 1.7m American visitors. The United States is our most important market in terms of revenue, responsible for 27% of all tourist revenue. Revenue generated by American visitors in 2019 was €1.6bn.”
Denise O’Leary, programme co-ordinator with Ireland Reaching Out said: “Genealogy tourism is huge in the States, and it’s massive for Ireland. They’re coming in their thousands to research their roots.”
“The year before covid we welcomed 600 visitors,” said Ms O’Leary. “During covid we stopped completely, so we’re just building it back up. Last year we welcomed 100 visitors. This year we’re hoping to double that again.
“It’s all volunteers, there’s no money changing hands. This is all done on the back of local volunteers wanting to say: ‘Your ancestors lived here, you’re part of this community’. There’s nothing like meeting a local person. It’s so important to them.”
“They’re looking to experience the locality, to sit down with a local person and hear the history of the town. They’re looking for the social context of the place that their ancestors lived in, to get a feel for it.
“Their Irishness is of huge importance to them. But it’s not recognised. So meeting with a local, and a local seeing them as a local, that is hugely powerful for them.”
