Ireland perfect getaway for summer: Envoy

RIYADH: It’s summer and the right time for Saudis and other GCC tourists to visit Ireland, Ambassador Tony Cotter said on Thursday.
“Saudis and other GCC nationals are invited to visit for enjoyable shopping and see the country’s unique attractions,” he said.
They will be joining some 3,000 Saudis studying in various Irish universities in visiting the country’s popular tourist attractions, he said.
The envoy said that when the relatives visit Saudi students, they also take the opportunity to shop and see the country’s well-known tourist attractions.
“Tourism is Ireland’s largest indigenous industry. It’s responsible for in excess of 4 percent of the gross national product (GNP) and employing 200,000 people,” he said.
He noted that in 2013, some 55,000 visitors from various countries visited Ireland.
“Hot on the heels of Mila, Paris and New York, Dublin is emerging as a luxury shopping destination for citizens of Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries,” he said.
Cotter said: “With designer brands in abundance and the latest collections available straight from the catwalk, this majestic city is a haven for the fashion minded.”
He said that Saudi visitors will be able to enjoy considerable savings when choosing items from their favorite brands, thanks to the 20 percent VAT saving they make.
Ireland’s capital home to two smart shopping malls — The Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, a stylish sanctuary in an 18th century town house, and the more intimate Westbury Mall, a boutique space which is a stone’s throw from the Westbury Hotel, said.
Cotter said that easily available flights through Abu Dhabi to Dublin with Emirates and Etihad, accessibility is convenient and frequent, making it an ideal summer shopping break.