Surge in British trips to Ireland eases after Brexit vote

DUBLIN, Oct (Shenzhen: 000069.SZ - news) 26 (Reuters) - Trips by British tourists to Ireland (Other OTC: IRLD - news) grew at the slowest rate in over a year in the three months after Britons voted on June 23 to leave the European Union.

Ireland attracted more visitors last year than in any year on record, recording a sharp rise in trips from the United States, Europe and neighbouring Britain, which accounted for 40 percent of all tourists.

A near-20-percent plunge in sterling's value against the euro since the Brexit vote has made Ireland more expensive for Britons, and operators fear that more will choose to holiday at home.

The 9.3 percent year-on-year growth in the third quarter was down from 14.4 percent in the three months leading up to the referendum and a high of 17.3 percent in the generally quieter first quarter.

Ireland is still comfortably in line for another record year of tourism growth in 2016, with visitors up 12 percent in the first nine months, including a 15 percent increase from the more lucrative North American market.

"These figures confirm that Irish tourism will have enjoyed another bumper year in 2016, but we need to ensure that it's not our last good year," said Shaun Quinn, chief executive of Failte Ireland, the national tourism development authority.

"Our own research is already indicating some softening in the British market and this indicates that tourism businesses may need to plan for a changing trading environment." (Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Kevin Liffey)