Genealogy Tourism is a segment of the tourism market consisting of tourists who have ancestral connections to their holiday destination. These genealogy tourists travel to the land of their ancestors to reconnect with their past and "walk in the footsteps of their forefathers".
Genealogy tourism is a worldwide industry, although it is more prominent in countries that have experienced mass emigration at some time in history and thus have a large worldwide Diaspora community. For example, genealogy tourism has been prominent in Ireland for some time. Recorded genealogy tourism peaked in the year 2000 as 116,000 genealogical visitors traveled to the island.[1] The Irish Tourist Board ceased recording genealogy visitors numbers from 2004, and its present levels are now unknown.
Scotland staged a homecoming festival in 2009 to appeal to genealogy tourists.
Bord Failte (2001), Genealogy Facts 2000. Dublin: Bord Failte, Market research Planning