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Welcome
to Travel Directories Ireland Newsletter for Winter 2003
| In this Issue: |
Tourism
NewsTourism Statistics
The Central Statistics Office have released Travel and Tourism statistics for the third quarter of 2003. Although visitor numbers to Ireland are up 6.9% compared to Q3 2002, non-residents bednights for tourist accommodation are only up 1.7% for the first 9 months of 2003. Non-resident bednights in the "Friends/Relatives" category was up 15.8% on Q3 2002 with an increase of 34.9% in the category "Other" for the same period.
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| Non-Residents, number of bednights '000 | Jan. - March | April - June | July - Sept. | |||||||||
| 2002 | 2003 | Change | 2002 | 2003 | Change | 2002 | 2003 | Change | Total Growth |
% Growth | ||
| Hotel | 1562 | 1523 | -39 | 2975 | 2935 | -40 | 3662 | 3833 | +171 | +92 | 1.7 | 4.7 |
| Guesthouse/B&B | 846 | 628 | -218 | 2046 | 2119 | +73 | 3163 | 3504 | +341 | +196 | ||
| Rented House/Apartment | 1383 | 1420 | +37 | 2128 | 2344 | +216 | 2857 | 2591 | -266 | -13 | ||
| Caravan/Camping | 32 | 20 | -12 | 304 | 319 | +15 | 687 | 705 | +18 | +21 | ||
| Hostel | 280 | 350 | +70 | 381 | 372 | -9 | 549 | 678 | +129 | +190 | ||
| Friends/Relatives | 2376 | 2566 | +190 | 2824 | 2652 | -172 | 4212 | 4879 | +667 | +685 | 10.2 | |
| Other | 483 | 480 | -3 | 984 | 952 | -32 | 1766 | 2383 | +617 | +582 | ||
| Total Change | +25 | +51 | +1677 | +1752 | ||||||||
Air Routes
There are two low-fare airlines expected to be operating a regular service from Dublin to Germany in early 2004, Germanwings, part-owned by Lufthansa, are to operate a Dublin to Cologne/Bonn service from February 29 2004 while Hapag-Lloyd Express are to begin their service to Stutgart and Hamburg next April. It is expected that a route to Rotterdam will be opened in the summer by KLM offshoot Transavia.
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Aer Rianta has announced the launch of 52 new routes and services in 2003. 10 new airlines served Dublin airport, Cork airport launched 13 routes and Shannon launched 3.
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Ryanair are to halve their Shannon/London service to 2 flights a day from Jan 8 2004. Ryanair blamed an Aer Rianta increase of 45% on passenger service charges as the reason for their decision.
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Major players EasyJet, BMIbaby and Virgin Express opted out of an alliance with 6 other low-fare airlines. The group led by Ryanair is intended to establish a stronger lobbying presence in Brussels for the low-cost airline sector claiming that the existing Association of European Airlines, is unrepresentative of the sector.
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We are pleased to see that Travel Directories Ireland continues to grow in popularity:
News from
us
| Page Hits per month | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
| September: | 136,112 | 129,062 | 157,972 |
| October: | 129,556 | 129,511 | 160,603 |
| November: | 116,963 | 129,511 | 142,632 |
Ryanair and Dublin based Web Reservations International Ltd. have agreed to add the hostelworld.com booking engine to ryanair.com.
Western European online consumers are expected to be spending over €:33 billion on travel products by 2008.
A Christmas Rescue!
"Santa is sick and we need someone brave"
"I'll think about that" said the Chief Leprechaun,
Well, the leprechauns all were a brave little crowd,
Len harnessed Jack rabbit, close hitched to his sleigh,
So, they passed many countries, (to make this tale short),
Then they loaded the sleigh, and bid Santa goodbye,
Now the North Sea again, hissing white with cold foam,
When they stopped at the cave in the dark of the dawn,
That's the end of the story, except that next day,
by Ned Egan.
Ned is also the author of "Memories of a Leprechaun" and is currently in the process of publishing his new book, "Sex and Death in Culchie Ireland".
Ned can contacted at the following number (051) 898997
Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.
Internet News
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Poem
said the man at the door of the Leprechauns cave
"If you have a lad here who'll go fast for those toys,
He'll be famous forever with our girls and boys.''
"For you know that our lads must be home before dawn,
I would love to be helpful this time of year
But I'll order nobody - he must volunteer."
And they all shouted "ME" -and they shouted it loud!
But the one they agreed would be fastest and best
Was young Len, whose Jack rabbit was King of the West!
With a squeal and a shout, the were off on their way,
Through Leitrim and Derry where crowds lined the street,
Then the North sea flashed past under Jacks racing feet.
And quite soon they were at Santa's home in the North,
"Ho Ho there!" cried Santa " young len and young Jack!
I've the toys for old Connaught, right here in this sack!"
and were on there way home in a wink of your eye,
And the Norwegian wolves found that Jacks flying paws
left them far in the rear of young Len "Lepre-Claus"!
Then the lights of old Derry showed them the way home,
Through Christmas Eve Ireland they flew like the wind,
and young Jack rabbit squealed, and "Len Lepre-Claus" grinned!
All their friends tumbled out, and the Chief Leprechaun,
said "I'm proud of you lads, though it's not a surprise,
To see leprechauns helping the small girls and boys!"
Came the children from near, and from far and away,
And they wished that the future would bring Jack and Len,
Great love among children, and Peace among men.
Final
Thought
Nollaig shona agus Athbhlian faoi mhaise duit.
Slán
Travel Directories Ireland
Web:
www.eirtravel.info
e-mail: info@eirtravel.info
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www.eirtravel.info/wap/
Phone: +353 (0)52 42810
Fax: +353 (0)52 42575