This travel profile looks at (1) the overview of tourist numbers and revenue ... Britain is the single largest source ma
TRAVEL PROFILE:
Britain
1. Tourist Numbers & Revenue Britain is the single largest source market for Ireland in terms of tourist numbers and has seen growth rates of 11% and 9% in 2015 and 2016; however 2017 looks more challenging.
British Tourists
Tourists stay more than one night (i.e. excluding same day travellers) and can be classified into:
Main purpose of visit
1
2 4
3
39%
17%
Holidaymakers
Visiting Friends & Relatives (VFR)
42
%
4
Business Tourists
Other
2%
This travel profile looks at (1) the overview of tourist numbers and revenue (figures include holidaymakers, visiting friends and relatives, business tourists and others combined), then (2) focuses on the British holidaymaker specifically, and finally (3) looks at what holiday activities and experiences interest potential British holidaymakers to Ireland.
Where Do Ireland’s Tourists Come From?
NI USA
GB
Great Britain 3,632,000
Northern Ireland 1,358,000
United States of America 1,294,000
Trend in British Tourist Numbers (000s) 3776 -1%
3579 -5%
3034 -15%
2759
2799
-9%
1.5%
2870 2722
5%
3007 5%
3346 11%
3632 9%
DE
FR
ES
Germany 624,000
France 494,000
Spain 370,000
Revenue (€m) IT €176
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Britain provides Ireland with a broadest mix of tourists across holidaymaker, VFR and business tourists of all markets.
Sources
CSO I Fáilte Ireland I NISRA 2016
US €1,174
FR €273 NI €367
2007
2016
Italy 326,000
GB €1,110 ES €187
-3%
IT
DE €387
GB is second in revenue to the US, whose tourist numbers include a higher proportion of holidaymakers who stay longer and consequently spend more.
2. British Holidaymaker Profile 42% of British tourists cite visiting friends and relatives as the main purpose of visit to Ireland with a further 39% visiting for a holiday.
breaks - over half (52%) will stay up to 3 nights, and nearly three quarters (72%) stay less than 5 nights. The British are looking for experiences that set Ireland apart from home and that will inspire them to travel. Experiences that highlight Ireland’s authentic culture perform well.
British holidaymakers are relatively young; 74% are under 55. When in Ireland 56% use hotels and a further 16% use guesthouses and B&Bs. They travel mainly to Ireland for short
Profile of British Holidaymakers Six in ten British holidaymakers (60%) are repeat visitors to Ireland, 5% are Irish born and the balance (35%) are visiting for the first time.
94
%
Travel Arrangements Nearly all British holidaymakers (94%) travel independently to Ireland, with 6% on a package or inclusive trip - where the fare to/from Ireland and at least one other element (such as accommodation, car hire etc) was paid fully or partly in advance.
Travel Routes
Holiday Party Type
British holidaymakers, typically travel to Ireland by air (75%) and 25% travel by sea.
Looking at the long term trend since 2000, adult groups have steadily increased in importance.
1 4
Couple
2
Adult Group
3
Alone
4
25%
39 27% 20% 14% Ireland is seen as a short break destination with only 28% of British holidaymakers choosing to stay more than 5 nights.
Sources
7% 35% 32% 13% 12%
Fáilte Ireland Survey of Overseas Travellers 2016 Fáilte Ireland Holiday Behaviour Deepdive 2016
Length of Stay (2016) 1 - 3 Nights 1 - 5 Nights 1 - 8 Nights 9 or more nights
75%
Family
%
Age (2016) Under 19 Years 19 - 34 Years 35 - 54 years 55 - 64 years 65+ years
6
%
Where Are They From? Over half of British holidaymakers (54%) come from South or North-West Britain.
Region of Residence (2016))
56% 72% 87% 13%
North-West
15%
London South-East South-West
14% 15% 10%
2. British Holidaymaker Profile When Do They Travel? 40 30
2016 26%
33%
27%
20
14%
10 Q1 Jan -Mar
Q2 Apr - Jun
Q3 Jul - Sept
Q4 Oct - Dec
Where Do They Go? The capital is a popular destination for British holidaymakers with over half (59%) including Dublin in their trip. The South-West is also popular with 23% of holidaymakers visiting the area.
100
8
80
60
59%
7
3
2
1
6 4
40 5 20
4
%
0 1.Dublin
2.Mid-East
10%
2% 3.Midlands
4.South-East
23% 5.South-West
10%
11%
6.Mid-West
7.West
9% 8.Border
British Holidaymaker Regions Visited
Holiday Accommodation Used (%)
Where Do They Stay?
60
56%
9%
30 20 10
British Holidaymaker Nights Spent in Regions
Sources
Fáilte Ireland Survey of Overseas Travellers 2016
0
16% 15%
8%
2%
Friends/Relatives
25%
40
Caravan/Camping
10%
31%
Hostels
10%
3%
Rented
1%
Hotels
11%
B&B/Guesthouse
50
9%
3. British Holiday Travel Choices City
What Types Of Holiday Are The British Looking For?
Beach Touring
The British would consider visiting Ireland for city breaks, holidays in a rural destination, touring and to celebrate a special occasion. Visiting friends and relatives is also an important consideration in line with the close ties between Britain and Ireland and the high proportion of VFR tourists.
The British would definitely consider taking this type of holiday in Ireland in the next three years
1st 2nd 3rd City Break (One City)
What Activities Do The British Typically Do On Holiday?
Holiday in rural destination
City Break (Multiple cities
4th
5th
Touring Holiday
u Visiting nature reserves and boat trips are something this market like to do on holiday and would look to do in Ireland also u Activities that the British typically participate in on holiday abroad match what they would see themselves doing if holidaying in Ireland.
Holiday to celebrate a special occasion
1st
Adventure /Activity Holiday
Walking (typically up to 5km/3 miles per walk)
3rd
Boat trips
4th
Hiking/cross-country walking (more than 5km/3 miles per walk)
Outdoor adventure parks (zipwires/rope bridges etc.)
6th
Fáilte Ireland Holiday Behaviour Deepdive 2016
7th
Visit a nature reserve/ national park
5th
Sources
Walking/ Hiking Holiday
Type of holiday activities the British would consider doing while on holiday in Ireland?
2nd u Both gentle walking and hiking appeal to the British market as a means of exploring and getting out in nature
6th
Any watersports
3. British Holiday Travel Choices Things To See And Do On Holiday uExperiences that differentiate Ireland from home highlight our authentic culture and allow the British to get a sense of what Ireland is all about uSpectacular scenery and a chance to see the coast from the water is something that interests this market for a new perspective
Experiences interested in doing in Ireland 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Sit outside a pub/cafe and people watch Spend an afternoon exploring/strolling around a picturesque town Listen to live traditional music in a local pub Go whale and dolphin watching off the West Coast Take a trip to the rugged, remote islands off the coasts Experience the local music and entertainment scene (nightlife) Take a boat tour around Ireland’s coastal villages Visit tombs and historical sites older than the pyramids Visit a festival celebrating local culture, food and heritage
10 11
Walk along some of the highest cliffs in Europe Learn about Ireland’s whiskey and beer making traditions on a brewery/distillery tour
% 48% 45% 41% 40% 37% 36% 35% 33% 33% 32% 31%
Enhancing The Holiday Experience Due to close proximity, the British may feel like they know what Ireland has to offer and that it might be similar to what is available domestically. By highlighting what is unique about our tourist experience and then ensuring high satisfaction levels when on holiday, the promise of a repeat visit is never too far away.
How Can We Ensure They Have The Best Possible Experience? u The impact of Brexit and volatility of sterling make it more expensive for the British to holiday in Ireland; what is it about Ireland that is a must see for them? u Uniquely Irish experiences – music, food and craic all add to a holiday experience. Can we provide recommendations for how they can authentically immerse themselves in Irish culture u For a short break, time is of the essence, what itinerary options are on offer to provide them with an overview of what they can expect u Walking at all levels, both easy sightseeing and more demanding trails are key activities for the British market u What’s on locally – festivals, events etc that might appeal to this market to see the real Ireland and soak up the atmosphere u Accessing nature close to urban centres will provide a means for the British to get the best of both worlds of urban and rural experiences
Sources
Fáilte Ireland Holiday Behaviour Deepdive 2016
