The number of overseas trips to Ireland during the first seven months of the year has increased by 5.2 per cent, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
The CSO said in the year to the end of July 2004 there were 3,728,200 overseas trips to Ireland, compared a figure of 3,544,600 for the first seven months of 2003.
There were 754,200 overseas trips to Ireland in July 2004, compared with 722,800 in the same month last year, an increase of 4.3 per cent.
The number of trips in July by residents of the Britain fell by 2.6 per cent compared with the same month in 2003. In the year to date to the end of July the number is down 0.2 per cent on the same period in 2003.
However, trips to Ireland by Residents of other European countries increased by 14.9 per cent to 234,000 in July of this year compared to 2003.
Trips to Ireland by residents of North America increased by 2 per cent in July when compared with July 2003.
In the year to date to the end of July the number was up 10.7 per cent on the first seven months of 2003.
There were 36,900 trips to Ireland by residents of other areas in July 2004, an increase of 8,400 on the same month in 2003. Irish residents made 618,800 overseas trips in July 2004, an increase of 13.1 per cent on the figure of 547,300 in July 2003.