A passenger limit of 32 million a year at Dublin Airport is hindering the expansion of Irish tourism, according to warnings shared by industry leaders. These industry heads urge for immediate lifting of this constraint in precaution to its potential threat to the tourism sector’s development and the government’s policies regarding the sector, as indicated by a report produced by the Irish Tourism Industry Council (ITIC).
The ITIC report anticipates that this passenger limit endangers the goal of expanding Irish tourism from a €10 billion to a €15 billion industry each year by 2030. The report, titled ‘The Importance of Aviation to Irish Tourism: Interdependent, Symbiotic and Critical’, works out that over 90% of tourists arrive by air and the current €10 billion sector is 75% international holidaymakers.
Elaina Fitzgerald, the ITIC’s chairwoman, underlines the reciprocal dependency of tourism and aviation, mentioning that whilst the aviation sector is relied upon to bring in tourists, tourism fills up airline seats.
Eoghan O’Mara Walsh, CEO of ITIC, labels the passenger limit at Dublin Airport as an imminent threat to the future of tourism, adding that its removal is necessary for the industry’s growth in forthcoming years.
Catherine Reilly, the MD of Brendan Vacations, points out that the Dublin Airport is the primary portal for tourists, especially from the critical US market, and to maintain the cap on passengers, it will significantly impact Irish tourism, foreign investment and the general economic balance.
The ITIC report mentions that doubts around development are undoubtedly impeding growth in the short term and will hinder expansion long term, as airlines start new services at other European airports. The ITIC proposes that Dublin Airport’s cap should be removed ‘without delay’ and for government support towards optimising the usage of airports in Cork and Shannon.
Lastly, with most tourists visiting the Cliffs of Moher being international, Geraldine Enright, the site’s general manager, emphasises that Dublin is the main access point to the country, hence the need to back regional airports like Shannon and Cork at their full potential.
Dublin Airport’s operator, the public corporation DAA, has put forth a request to its planning authority, Fingal County Council, to increase the cap to 40 million. The largest customers of Dublin, including airlines such as Aer Lingus and Ryanair, have demanded intervention from the government, pointing out that the cap is causing a surge in fares and adversely affecting Irish travellers. Recently, to help DAA stay within the planning cap, the Irish Aviation Authority imposed a restriction on airlines at Dublin, limiting the number of passengers to 14.4 million for the winter season. This decision triggered threats of lawsuit from Aer Lingus and Ryanair, as they claimed the authority lacked the jurisdiction to impose such restrictions. Every year, these two airlines contribute to over two-thirds of the total traffic passing through the airport.