Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Taoiseach if the statistics for estimating overseas visitors to Ireland should not include visitors who are emigrants visiting family and friends; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40809/12]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Tourism is defined in Regulation (EC) 692/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning European statistics on tourism as 'the activity of visitors taking a trip to a main destination outside their usual environment, for less than a year, for any purpose, including business, leisure or other personal purpose, other than to be employed by a resident entity in the place visited'. This definition is consistent with the definition of tourism recommended by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (International Recommendations for Tourism Statistics 2008).

The CSO compile tourism statistics in accordance with EU Regulation 692/2011 and the UN 2008 IRTS. The defining characteristics of a tourist are residency, duration of visit and that the purpose is other than employment.