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Text and Research: Fionnuala McKenna
Material is added to this site on a regular basis - information on this page may change
Tourism in Northern Ireland
Previous Tables
Sources:
The following tables provide further breakdowns of statistics for Tourism in Northern
Ireland. Much of this material has been taken from the Northern Ireland Annual Abstract of Statistics (1998),
the Irish Almanac and Yearbook of Facts (1999) and Tourism Facts, produced annually by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board.
Readers may also find useful information at the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) website {external_link}.
Tourist Information on the Republic of Ireland can be found at the Board Fáilte website {external_link}.
Visitor Tourism Revenue in Northern Ireland, 1987-1997
Number of Visitors to Northern Ireland and Revenue Generated, 1963-1997
Visitors to Northern Ireland, 1987-1996, by Country of Origin
and Purpose of Visit
Visitors to Northern Ireland by Country of Origin and Expenditure,
1995-1997
Breakdown of Visitors to Northern Ireland in 1997 by Purpose of Visit
and Country of Origin
The Percentage Number of visitors to Northern Ireland according
to Country of Origin, 1972-1997
Breakdown of Expenditure by Visitors to Northern Ireland (1997)
Types of Accommodation chosen by Northern Ireland Tourists, 1997
Top 10 Tourist Attractions Visited in Northern Ireland, 1996-1997
Number of Visitors to Forest/Country Parks and Gardens 1996-1997
Time of Year Visitors came to Northern Ireland, 1993-1997 (%)
Time of Year in which Visitors came to Northern Ireland, by reason for visit (1997)
Number of Northern Ireland Residents who holiday in Northern
Ireland and Revenue Generated, 1987-1997
Number of Visitors to Northern Ireland and Revenue
Generated , 1963-1997
| . | Trips
('000)
| Nights
('000)
| Revenue
£m
|
| 1963 | 704.6
| 7,670.9 | 10.14
|
| 1967 | 1,080.0
| 8,679.4 | 16.94
|
| 1972 | 435.0
| 3,499.4 | 8.64
|
| 1988 | 930.4
| 6,673.9 | 97.00
|
| 1989 | 1,090.6
| 6,636.4 | 136.31
|
| 1990 | 1,152.8
| 7,091.0 | 153.09
|
| 1991 | 1,186.1
| 7,160.0 | 162.00
|
| 1992 | 1,254.5
| 7,466.6 | 161.67
|
| 1993 | 1,262.0
| 7,794.0 | 173.00
|
| 1994 | 1,293.9
| 7,804.0 | 183.00
|
| 1995 | 1,557.0
| 8,500.0 | 214.00
|
| 1996 | 1,436.0
| 7,700.0 | 206.00
|
| 1997 | 1,415.0
| 7,500 | 208.00
|
Source: Northern Ireland Tourist Board: Tourism Facts 1997
Visitors to Northern Ireland by Country of Origin
and Purpose of Visit, 1987-1996
| . | 1987
| 1988
| 1989
| 1990
| 1991
| 1992
| 1993
| 1994
| 1995
| 1996
|
| Total revenue (£m)
| 91.4 |
97.0 | 136.3
| 153.0 |
162.0 | 162.0
| 173.0 |
183.0 | 214.0
| 206.0 |
| From Great Britain (000s)
| 480 |
512 | 612
| 610 |
650 | 726
| 704 |
708 | 810
| 825 |
| From Irish Republic (000s)
| 347 |
297 | 342
| 357 |
380 | 352
| 373 |
390 | 470
| 370 |
| From overseas(000s) |
116 | 121
| 137 |
186 | 156
| 176 |
185 | 196
| 277 |
241 |
| All staying visitors (000s)
| 943
| 930
| 1,091
| 1,153
| 1,186
| 1,254
| 1,262
| 1,294
| 1,557
| 1,436
|
|
| Purpose of Visit
|
Visiting friends or relatives
(000s)
%
| 473
50
| 457
49
| 545
50
| 517
45
| 457
39
| 510
41
| 519
41
| 522
40
| 564
36
| 590
41
|
Holiday (000s)
% |
117
13
| 125
14
| 159
14
| 222
19
| 263
22
| 247
20
| 251
20
| 275
21
| 461
30
| 297
21
|
Business (000s)
%
| 211
22
| 227
24
| 261
24
| 294
25
| 334
28
| 380
30
| 378
30
| 388
30
| 402
26
| 409
28
|
Shopping' (000s)
%
| 46
5
| 35
4
| 19
2
| 20
2
| ..
..
| ..
..
| ..
..
| ..
..
| ..
..
| ..
..
|
Other (000s)
% |
96
10
| 86
9
| 107
10
| 100
9
| 133
11
| 117
9
| 114
9
| 109
9
| 130
8
| 140
10
|
| All visits (000s)
| 943
| 930
| 1,091
| 1,153
| 1,186
| 1,254
| 1,262
| 1,294
| 1,557
| 1,436
|
(Source: Northern Ireland Annual Abstract of Statistics
1998, p.84)
Visitors to Northern Ireland by Country of Origin and Expenditure,
1995-1997
| . | 1995
| 1996
| 1997
|
Country of
Origin
| Visitors
000s
| Expenditure
£m
| Visitors
000s
| Expenditure
£m
| Visitors
000s
| Expenditure
£m
|
| Britain:
|
| England & Wales
| 603 |
84.5 | 604
| 85.5 |
585 | 87.0
|
| Scotland |
207 | 23.5
| 221 |
25.5 | 214
| 26.0 |
| Total | 810
| 108.0
| 825
| 110.0
| 799
| 113.0
|
|
| Europe:
|
| France |
n/a | n/a
| 19 |
n/a | 17
| n/a |
| Germany |
n/a | n/a
| 32 |
n/a | 30
| n/a |
| Holland |
n/a | n/a
| 10 |
n/a | 12
| n/a |
| Italy |
n/a | n/a
| 8 |
n/a | 10
| n/a |
| Other |
n/a | n/a
| 27 |
n/a | 36
| n/a |
| Total | 109
| 23.0
| 96
| 22.0
| 105
| 21.0
|
|
| North America:
|
| USA | n/a
| n/a |
72 | n/a
| 85 |
23.2 |
| Canada |
n/a | n/a
| 28 |
n/a | 24
| 7.8 |
| Total | 118
| 26.0
| 100
| 29.0
| 109
| 31.0
|
|
|
| Australia/New Zealand
| n/a |
n/a | 29
| n/a |
39 | 9.0
|
| Republic of Ireland
| 470 |
39.0 | 370
| 30.0 |
345 | 27.0
|
| Other | 50
| 18.0 |
15 | 15.0
| 18 |
7.0 |
|
| TOTAL: | 1,557
| 214.0
| 1,435
| 206.0
| 1,415
| 208.0
|
(Source: Irish Almanac and Yearbook of Facts, 1999, p.252)
The Percentage Number of visitors to Northern Ireland according
to Country of Origin, 1972-1997
| . | 1972
| 1993
| 1994
| 1995
| 1996
| 1997
|
| trips | 435,000
| 1,262,000
| 1,293,900
| 1,557,000
| 1,436,000
| 1,415,000
|
| total= | 100%
| 100% |
100% | 100%
| 100% |
100% |
| Great Britain | 58
| 56 |
55 | 52
| 57 |
57 |
| Republic of Ireland |
31 | 30
| 30 |
30 | 26
| 24 |
| North America | 5
| 5 |
6 | 8
| 7 |
8 |
| Europe | 3
| 6 |
7 | 7
| 7 |
7 |
| Other Overseas | 3
| 3 |
2 | 3
| 3 |
4 |
Breakdown of Visitors to Northern Ireland by Purpose of Visit and Country
of Origin, 1997
Country of
Origin | Business
000s
| Holiday
000s |
Visiting*
000s |
Other
000s | Total
000s
|
| Britain: |
| England & Wales | 227
| 37 | 305
| 16 | 585
|
| Scotland | 68
| 28 | 107
| 11 | 214
|
| Total | 295
| 65 | 412
| 27 | 799
|
|
| Europe: |
| France | 2
| 9 | 3
| 3 | 17
|
| Germany | 3
| 15 | 8
| 4 | 30
|
| Holland | 2
| 5 | 3
| 2 | 12
|
| Italy | 2
| 6 | 2
| 1 | 11
|
| Other | 13
| 10 | 9
| 4 | 36
|
| Total | 22
| 45 | 25
| 14 | 106
|
|
| North America: |
| USA | 11
| 37 | 29
| 8 | 85
|
| Canada | 2
| 7 | 14
| 1 | 24
|
| Total | 13
| 44 | 43
| 9 | 109
|
|
| Australia/New Zealand | 2
| 24 | 12
| 1 | 39
|
| Other | 3
| 4 | 9
| 1 | 17
|
| Republic of Ireland | 84
| 80 | 76
| 105 | 345
|
|
| TOTAL: | 419
| 262 | 577
| 157 | 1,415
|
* Friends / Relatives
(Source: Irish Almanac and Yearbook of Facts, 1999, p.252)
Breakdown of Expenditure by Visitors to Northern Ireland
(1997)
Spend
Total = | VFR
£76m
100%
| Holiday
£34m
100%
| Business
£83m
100%
| All
£208m
100%
|
| Accommodation / meals | 23%
| 38% | 60%
| 40% |
| Internal Travel | 10%
| 14% | 12%
| 11% |
| Entertainment inc. drinks | 17%
| 13% | 13%
| 15% |
Shopping
(presents) | 47%
(15)
| 32%
(11) | 14%
(5)
| 32%
(11) |
| Incidental Expenditure | 3%
| 3% | 1%
| 2% |
Please note: This table should be treated with caution due to
limitations with information sources
Source: Northern Ireland Tourist Board: Tourism Facts 1997
Types of Accommodation Chosen by Northern Ireland Tourists, 1997
| Accommodation | Northern Ireland
(million nights)
|
| Hotels | 0.9
|
| Guesthouses / B&Bs | 0.7
|
| Rented | 0.5
|
| Caravan & Camping | 0.1
|
| Friends & Relatives | 5.0
|
| Other | 0.5
|
| Total: | 7.5
|
(Source: Irish Almanac and Yearbook of Facts, 1999, p.252)
Top 10 Tourist Attractions Visited in Northern Ireland,
1996-1997
| . | . | 1997
| 1996 | % Change
| 1996 |
| 1 | Giant's Causeway Visitor Centre
| 378,481 | 395,000
| -4% | 1
|
| 2 | Ulster Museum[F]
| 328,823 | 240,859
| +36% | 2
|
| 3 | Pickie Family Fun Park
| 250,000 | 100,000
| +150% | 12
|
| 4 | Belfast Zoo
| 206,362 | 177,984
| +16% | 4
|
| 5 | Ulster Folk and Transport Museum
| 203,501 | 198,211
| +33% | 3
|
| 6 | Belleek Pottery
| 177,824 | 161,000
| +10% | 5
|
| 7 | Oxford Island Nature Reserve[F]
| 155,000 | 149,200
| +4% | 7
|
| 8 | Murlough Nature Reserve
| 134,000 | 160,000
| -16% | 6
|
| 9 | Portstewart Strand
| 133,080 | 127,749
| +4% | 10
|
| 10 | Exploris
| 130,000 | 137,023
| -5% | 8
|
[F] = Free Admission
Source: Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Survey of Visitor
Attractions 1997
Number of Visitors to Forest/Country Parks and Gardens
1996-1997
| . | 1997
| 1996 | % Change
|
| Botanic Gardens[F] | 680,000
| 650,000 | +5%
|
| Cave Hill Country Park[F] | 390,000
| 395,000 | -1%
|
| Belvoir Forest Park | 360,000
| 360,000 | 0%
|
| Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park[F] | 300,000
| 300,000 | 0%
|
| Tollymore Forest Park | 203,800
| 208,800 | -2%
|
| Scrabo Country Park | 200,000
| 195,000 | +2%
|
| Castlewellan Forest Park | 140,000
| 154,700 | -9%
|
| Carnfunnock Country Park | 127,326
| 147,028 | -13%
|
| Roe Valley Country Park[F] | 126,000
| 100,000 | +25%
|
| Gosford Forest Park | 123,700
| 113,700 | +9%
|
| Delamont Country Park | 103,600
| 73,050 | +42%
|
| Kilbroney Park[F] | 100,000
| 90,000 | +11%
|
| Castle Archdale Country Park[F] | 100,000
| 100,000 | 0%
|
| Peatlands Country Park[F] | 90,000
| 100,000 | -10%
|
| Glenariff Forest Park | 74,800
| 65,300 | +14%
|
| Silent Valley | 70,497
| 72,051 | -2%
|
| Benburb Valley Park | 55,000
| 60,000 | -8%
|
| Redburn Country Park[F] | 50,000
| 45,000 | +11%
|
| Colin Glen Forest Park[F] | 37,000
| 37,000 | 0%
|
| Florencecourt Forest Park | 29,300
| 35,200 | -17%
|
[F] = Free Admission
Source: Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Survey of Visitor
Attractions 1997
Time of Year in which Visitors came to Northern Ireland,
by reason for visit (1997)
Trips
Total = | VFR
577,000
100%
| Holiday
263,000
100%
| Business
419,000
100%
| All
1,415,000
100%
|
| | |
| |
| January - March | 20
| 10 | 23
| 19 |
| April - June | 26
| 28 | 25
| 26 |
| July - September | 31
| 49 | 26
| 32 |
| October - December | 23
| 13 | 26
| 23 |
Please note: This table should be treated with caution due to
limitations with information sources
Source: Northern Ireland Tourist Board: Tourism Facts 1997
Time of Year Visitors came to Northern Ireland, 1993-1997
(%)
| . | Percentage number of Visitors
|
| . | 1994
| 1995 | 1996
| 1997 |
| January - March | 21%
| 18% | 20%
| 19% |
| April - June | 25%
| 25% | 26%
| 26% |
| July - September | 33%
| 36% | 33%
| 32% |
| October - December | 21%
| 21% | 21%
| 23% |
Number of Northern Ireland Residents who holiday in Northern
Ireland and Revenue Generated, 1987-1997
| . | 1987
| 1988 | 1989
| 1990 | 1991
| 1992 | 1993
| 1994 | 1995
| 1996 | 1997
|
| Long (4 Nights) |
(000s)
Spending (£m)
| 149
8.9 | 235
19.3
| 350
49.1 | 310
33.7
| 250
33.0 | 220
23.3
| 235
34.0 | 220
33.7
| 245
36.0 | 197
34.0
| 220
40.0 |
| Short (1-3 nights) |
(000s)
Spending (£m)
| 379
16.0 | 337
11.5
| 630
20.9 | 610
23.4
| 490
21.6 | 380
21.4
| 440
21.0 | 430
25.4
| 368
21.0 | 410
26.0
| 350
20.0 |
| Total home holiday revenue |
| (£m)
| 24.9 | 30.8
| 70.0 | 57.1
| 54.6 | 44.6
| 55.0 | 59.0
| 57.0 | 60.0
| 60.0 |
(Source: Northern Ireland Annual Abstract of Statistics
1998, p.84)
|
