The FINANCIAL -- Ryanair, Ireland’s favourite airline, today (2 July) asked the Irish Government to explain why Irish air traffic in May collapsed by 15% (down 400,000 passengers to 2.3 million) while Ryanair’s traffic grew in the same month by 9% (up 500,000 passengers to 5.5 million).

Ryanair believes that the Irish Government’s €10 tourist tax has made Ireland a high cost, uncompetitive tourist destination and this is the cause of the steep decline in Irish air traffic and tourism in May.
 
Ryanair called again on the Irish Government to follow the recent example of the Belgian, Dutch, Greek and Spanish governments all of whom have scrapped similar tourist taxes and/or reduced airport charges to zero in order to stimulate tourism. Ryanair believes that this collapse in Irish traffic and tourism will continue for the remainder of 2009 unless this damaging and revenue negative €10 tourist tax is scrapped.
 
Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said:
 
“Ryanair continues to grow rapidly. Our traffic figures for May were up by 500,000 new passengers to 5.5 million while Irish air traffic collapsed by 15% to just 2.3 million due to the Government’s silly and damaging €10 tourist tax.
 
“Ryanair will continue to grow outside of Ireland in countries which welcome tourists rather than taxing them. The Irish Government cannot grow tourism by taxing it. This didn’t work in the 1970’s and 1980’s and it won’t work in 2009 either. It is time to scrap this €10 tourist tax now before even further damage is inflicted upon Irish tourism and our struggling economy”.