DUBLIN Airport’s passenger cap will wreck coach businesses too, it has been warned.
The Coach Tourism and Transport Council of Ireland said the 90,000 fewer passengers travelling through Dublin Airport this Christmas is a “clear threat” to the €8bn tourism sector.
The Council contends that Ireland’s ability to attract international visitors is in jeopardy with rural economies likely to be the worst hit by the move.
The passenger cap, imposed to manage airport operations, is proving to be a “major deterrent to international travel operators” who seek support from the coach sector in Ireland.
They warned that curbing airline flexibility to add extra services on popular routes during high-demand periods, only serves to “impact availability and push up prices”.
The rigid nature of the cap directly impacts Ireland’s ability to compete with international destinations leaving rural businesses and communities vulnerable to reduced visitor numbers.
CTTC Chairperson, William Martin, said: “Coach tourism is a vital contributor to rural economies, and hard to reach destinations in Ireland.
“The sector drives footfall to towns and villages that fully depend on visitor spending.
“The cap is not just about limiting flights; it’s about the livelihoods of thousands of people in tourism and hospitality who rely on a steady influx of international tourists.
“We are deeply frustrated that these constraints risk Ireland’s reputation as a world-class destination while putting rural jobs and businesses under immense pressure.”
The CTTC highlighted the economic multiplier effect of coach tourism, which supports a wide range of industries, from accommodation and restaurants to cultural attractions and local transport services.
They urged this interconnected system is particularly important in rural Ireland, where tourism spending has a transformative impact on communities.
The CTTC has called on the Government for a review to be carried out.
Mr Martin added: “We are calling on the Government to review the passenger cap, and balance operational demands with the wider needs of the economy.
“As international tour companies make final decisions about the markets they serve in summer 2025, swift action is essential to safeguard Ireland’s tourism appeal and protect the vital contribution coach tourism makes to rural areas and the national economy.”
The airport has been fighting its case to the local council to get this cap, set in 2007, raised to 40 million.
The airport are expecting 80,000 passengers to pass through the airport between December 18, 2024 and January 5, 2025.
And airport bosses have revealed December 20 is set to be the busiest day this side of Christmas with 93,000 set to pass through the airport.
December 27 will be the busiest post-Christmas day with 97,000 travellers making their way through the airport.
The airport will close on Christmas day with just the airport’s Fire and Rescue and Airport Police remaining on duty.
2
