University of Limerick Professor Jim Deegan stated that American tourists are extremely important to Ireland due to their high expenditure.
By Jamesy McConigley
Mr Deegan was a guest speaker at the seventh Annual Tourism Policy Workshop in Dromoland Castle on Wednesday night. He revealed that Americans spent the highest amount in private consumption in Ireland in 2016.
Professor Jim Deegan who is also the Director of The National Centre for Tourism Policy Studies in the University of Limerick understands that the United States along with Germany, France and Britain invest into the Irish economy by private consumption heavily and hopes that the dollar can stay durable during this unknown fiscal age.
“It’s very difficult to say right at this very moment but there is a long history of Americans visiting Ireland, the major thing I would think is the value of the dollar, if the dollar stays high we can be pretty confident that the Americans will keep coming but other than that it’s economic conditions are favorable,” Deegan told The Clare Herald.
Since the results of the US Presidential Election, businesses throughout Ireland questioned were the events in the United States a positive or a negative, Deegan believes that Trump could play a big part in Ireland’s economy. “If Donald Trump’s policies make the American economy grow and prosper and people’s consumption grow, then we are going to more than likely prosper out of it.”
Tourism in the Banner County has blossomed as of late, Clare is ranked in the top five counties for attracting tourist in the Emerald Isle. The Cliffs of Moher, Poulnabrone Dolmen and Bunratty Castle are just some of the golden goose that keep on giving to local businesses around the area.
Jim Deegan explained how important one particular coastal area is to the county. “The one major thing you have to look at now is that the Cliffs of Moher has more visitors now, I think it has more than one million visitors compared to what it had, obviously those people are coming into Clare, they must be spending money on lunches, dinners and staying in accommodation as well.”
“Overall, I think if you have a successful business attraction like the Cliffs of Moher and it obviously does help the local economy.”
Events such as Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann ensured this year was a profitable one for tourism in the County. With over 400,000 people visiting Ennis for the ‘Fleadh ceoil’ competition in August, 2016 was a profitable year for tourism throughout the county.