Tourism between Iceland and Ireland won't be 'Oh so quiet' for much longer, with airline WOW's Dublin-Reykjavik service from next June a potential game-changer. Iceland, home of global music star Bjork, will be served year round by WOW, with flights running on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and marks the first scheduled service between the two cities.
“Ensuring that our connectivity is enhanced is key to sustaining the excellent tourism numbers we have seen in recent years," said Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe when welcoming the announcement. "With an increase of 9.4% in the number of tourists coming to our shores compared to the same period last year, we need to seek out the most effective ways of bolstering our performance so that the jobs that are being created in tourism related sectors can be maintained.
“In doing this, we must encourage the promotion of Ireland as a year round destination so that people pay us a visit during what are known as the shoulder, or off-peak, seasons as well as the more traditional summer months. This will ensure that our tourism related businesses can benefit from year round overseas income. “Since coming to office, this Government has placed a priority on tourism, recognising the role it has to play in our economic recovery. Policies such as the lower 9% VAT rate and the abolition of the airport travel tax have been instrumental in turning the ship around and getting the message out there that Ireland is a compelling and highly competitive destination. Initiatives such as the Wild Atlantic Way and The Gathering have also contributed greatly to encouraging people to take their holidays in Ireland. I will be publishing a Tourism Policy Strategy in the coming months, outlining further plans and supports for the sector nationally. “With a travel time of little more than two hours between Ireland and Iceland, I have no doubt this service will be a huge success. I want to congratulate WOW and wish them luck for the future in growing the service and passenger numbers to Ireland.”
