User:Forrestbevington/sandbox/DublinTourism

= Tourism in Dublin, Ireland =

Overview
Tourism is one of the most important sectors in Ireland's Economy and is projected to play a vital role in the renewal on their economy going forward as it currently supports over 220,000 jobs and was responsible for €4.577 billion in 2016. In 2016 the overall visits to Ireland rose by 9.584 million trips, which is 10.9% higher than 2015. Most of the main tourism visits have occurred for special events such as holiday trips and business trips. Spending by visitors in Ireland also increased in 2016, with total tourism and travel earnings from overseas visitors growing by 9.5% to €6.056 billion.

Dublin, which is the capital of the Republic of Ireland near the River Liffey, is known by most for its eccentric food scene, stunning architecture and the friendly natives. Based on profits, the three top places to visit in Dublin, Ireland are:


 * Guinness Storehouse (1.3 million)
 * Dublin Zoo (1 million)
 * Book of Kells (0.7 million)

Guinness Storehouse
St. James Brewery, also known as Guinness Brewing Company, is one of the more iconic breweries not just in Ireland but in the world. In 2017 there were 1,711,281 visitors at this historic location, which is up from 1.5 million from 2016. Guinness dates back to 1759 when the owner, Arthur Guinness, made history by signing a 9,000-year lease. This iconic venue dates back to 1904 when it was originally a fermentation plant of the brewery but has since been updated into a 7-story visitor center dedicated to the history of beer making for Guinness, the world famous beer.

Dublin Zoo
The doors to the Dublin Zoo opened in 1831 when zoos, such as this one, around the world focused on caged animals, but one of the more attractive aspects of this zoo is its radical change to focus on animal conservation, animal warfare and authentic habitats. The Dublin Zoo saw 1,108,728 visitors in 2017, which makes it 7 years in a row that they broken over 1 million visitors. The geographically specific exhibits within the zoo: Kaziranga Forest Trail, Fringes of the Arctic and African Plains provide visitors with a "worldly" experience.

One of the many factors that make this a must-see in Dublin such as Slat the roaring lion from the early MGM (Metro Goldwyn Meyer) Films whom was born at the Dublin Zoo in 1919.

Book Kells
The Book of Kells is a manuscript that contains the four gospels of the Christian New Testament in Latin. What makes this a must visit venue in Dublin is the illustrations that illuminate extravagance with its colors and ornaments. Historians know very little about these mysterious works of art, but what they do believe is that this work of art was produced in a monastery on the east coast of Scotland. The name "Book of Kells" leaves historians baffold because in 806 A.D. a Viking raid in Scotland forced the monks to flee to the Abbey of Kells, therefore whether this piece was produced in Kells or not is a matter of debate among historians.

In 2017 the Book of Kells saw a 10.6% growth in visitors compared to the previous year, making it the third most visited tourist destination is Dublin with a revenue of $700,000.

Tourist Demographic
Top Three Visitor Groups (2017) :


 * 1) U.S., attendance increased by 8.6%
 * 2) Irish, attendance increased by 19%
 * 3) Chinese attendance increased by 40%

Where did Dublin tourists come from and how much did they spend in 2016?
Mainland Europe


 * Numbers (000's): 2,353
 * Revenue (€m): 747

Britain


 * Numbers (000's): 1,777
 * Revenue (€m): 324

North America


 * Numbers (000's):1,353
 * Revenue (€m): 589

Other


 * Numbers (000's): 453
 * Revenue (€m): 321

Northern Ireland


 * Numbers (000's): 332
 * Revenue (€m): 107

Government Restrictions
In late 2018, the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) began the €320 million construction of its third runways to be completed by 2021. With the constriction on the runway, the city of Dublin has attached two planning restrictions which, if not revised, will cause the Dublin Airport to lose 2.4 million passengers (8% of its annual total). The current planning restrictions that come with the new runway include: the use of the runway will be prohibited between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m ., and nightly aircraft "movements" throughout the entire airport to be restricted to 65 percent when the runway is finished to restrict the overall noise that a third runway will generate.

According to Dalton Phillips, owner and CEO of the DAA, the project is “the most important thing that Ireland will build in a generation" because it will be vital to Ireland's well-being for decades. Ireland and Dublin's economy has seen growth over the past few years due to a booming tourism industry among other things. Mr. Phillips is urging the city to reverse the restrictions to, first off, save 14,700 jobs over the next 20 years along with allowing the city of Dublin to continue to grow, therefore benefiting the entire country.