Travel guide votes Ireland top destination for 2011

WHILE IRELAND’S financial reputation may have taken a severe dent, its reputation as a tourist destination has not been as badly hit. Readers of Frommer’s travel guides voted Ireland into first place as the top tourist destination for 2011 on its website Frommers.com.

Ireland knocked Paris off the top spot and was described by the guide as “the very tourist-friendly nation”.

Readers who nominated Ireland made comments such as “a magical destination in nearly every way” and “the rugged beauty of the island and its historic past enchant me”.

Another commented: “love the scenery, love the people. Had an excellent time when I was last there, but need more time”.

“Beer, castles, lush landscapes, and small enough to explore via bicycle or car,” summed up another tourist’s experience.

Frommer’s Irish highlights include sailing around the west coast, horseback riding in Donegal and drinking a hot whiskey in Davy Byrne’s pub. It recommends Newgrange, the Slieve Blooms, the Dublin Writers’ Museum, Cahir Castle, Glendalough, Powerscourt Gardens, kayaking in west Cork, cycling through Cork and Kerry and kissing the Blarney Stone.

FáilteIreland’s visitor attitudes survey is also promising good news. Preliminary findings indicate 57 per cent of tourists surveyed in 2010 said Ireland offered good all-round value for money, compared with 47 per cent in 2009, a sign the price cuts of recent times are hitting home.

Online discussion about value for money in Ireland supports this view. A poster on a Frommer’s forum asked if the Irish financial crisis and the poor exchange rate of the dollar to the euro meant that 2011 would be a good time to visit Ireland. He was told it was a very good time, with good deals on inclusive escorted bus tours and bargains on car hire.

“You may have to put in the time to look for them online before you go but also be sure to ask for a best price or better rates when you arrive.”

Tourism Ireland’s Niall Gibbons said another positive development was a new summer flight service between Charlotte in North Carolina and Dublin which will start in May. He predicted the US market would return to growth in 2011 and said Tourism Ireland was kicking off a major marketing drive there.

“Consumer confidence and travel sentiment there is improving. Research shows there is pent-up demand for travel and this represents a real opportunity for Ireland.”

The agency is targeting the British market with a television campaign in March and a year-long marketing campaigns on radio, online and on social media. “How Irish Are You?” campaign will also be run to coincide with the next UK census, which will allow people to declare dual nationality.

The reduction of the €10 air travel tax to €3 has also been welcomed by the industry.