Dublin is known as one of the most beautiful and culturally rich cities in Europe. It is estimated that more than three million people visit the city each year. This makes tourism a major industry in the Irish capital.

Tourism officials estimate that foreign visitors to Dublin accounted for more than $835 million in the nation’s economy in 2004. That makes Dublin the third most visited European city, according to tourism estimates. At the same time, Dublin has been ranked as the cheapest of the 10 most visited European cities in terms of hotel rates.

Dublin Tourism Board

Dublin Tourism is the official tourism board for the city with the responsibility for marketing and promoting tourism in the Dublin region, boasting a membership of more than 1,200 businesses. Its website attracted approximately two million unique visitors in 2004 and accounted for nearly $4.5 million in online bookings.

Other than the official Dublin tourism web site, which claims to be the most visited in all of Europe, there are dozens of others. This is largely because of the diversity of the city’s attractions. Since the city is more than 1,000 years old, there is a long list of sites devoted to history. Having been home to some of the English-speaking world’s greatest literary figures, the city also boasts impressive museums and cultural centers.

Attractions

The attractions mentioned so far do not include the National Gallery, the Dublin Zoo, or St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Of course, there also is the Guinness brewery and Phoenix Park, the largest walled park in Europe, and second in size only to Yellowstone National Park.

For those interested in more modern pursuits, Dublin also has great golf courses to offer and a robust shopping district. Even though the city is on the coast of Ireland, many of the country’s other tourist attractions are within commuting distance. As such automobile rentals and out-of-city day trip planning are active segments of the tourism industry.

Nightlife

Nightlife also brings people to Dublin. Officials estimate more than 70 percent of Dublin’s population is under the age of 45 so pubs and nightclubs draw a lively business. The legal drinking age in Ireland is 18 and the cover charge at Dublin nightclubs generally ranges from $7 to $15. Finding the right club might take a bit of research, since they tend to come as go depending on the current fashion.