N. Ireland Tourism Benefiting From Weak Pound

A fall in the value of the pound following the Brexit referendum looks to have helped Northern Ireland's tourism industry in 2016. Visitor numbers increased by 12% to 2.6 million, official figures from the Northern Ireland Statistical Research Agency suggest, BBC News reported. The data show a major recovery in the Republic of Ireland market, with trips across the border up by a third on 2015 to 456,000. The figures suggest the domestic visitor market—overnight trips taken in Northern Ireland by local people—was well down on the previous year. The value of sterling was likely a key factor in 2016 trends, tourism officials have said. After last June's referendum, visitors from the US and the eurozone have seen their money go further when exchanged into pounds. The tourism agency said the figures reflected a very strong year, with Northern Ireland remaining "more competitive" due to the pound. While there is a significant margin of error in the figures, there has been a general upward trend in Northern Ireland's tourism sector since 2011, said NISRA.