Shannon Airport has recorded an eight per cent increase in passenger figures during the first six months of 2024, when compared to the same period last year.
This is reflected on the ground in Killarney where there has been a noticeable surge in visitors from North America with Shannon a main gateway from the US to Kerry.
The airport, boosted by the resumption of Delta’s daily service to New York-JFK and increased frequencies to nine of its European and UK destinations during the summer season, recorded 974,012 passengers from January to June of this year.
Mary Considine, CEO of The Shannon Airport Group said: “We have had a busy first half of 2024 at Shannon Airport and we are pleased to see our passenger numbers increasing when compared to the same period last year.
“Shannon is operating to 33 destinations across Europe, the UK and the US this year and we are thrilled to be able to offer passengers increased summer frequencies to nine of our European destinations,” she added.
Shannon, which operates return flights to New York, Boston and Chicago, is on track to reach the two million passengers mark by the end of the year.
Kerry hotelier and hospitality consultant, John Brennan, said last week that despite talk of emerging markets like China, India and Brazil, that influx is still small and North America is still by far Ireland’s greatest customer.
“At the end of the day the backbone of Irish tourism is America with the number two being the Irish domestic market which is hugely important,” he said.
“You fish where the fish are. There are 19 flights from North America arriving into Ireland every day. That’s phenomenal for a small little country on the west coast of Europe,” he said.
“America’s connection with Ireland has always been very strong,” Mr Brennan said.
