The number of tourists who visted the State in the second quarter of the year rose by 3.4 per cent compared to the same period last year, according to data from the Central Statistics Office.
Figures released today show that there were 1,762,000 overseas visits to Ireland between April and June 2004 compared with 1,704,000 in the same period last year.
The number of visitors from the United States and Canada has increased by 8.3 per cent on last year while the number of visitors from Britain has fallen by 3.3 per cent.
Visitor numbers from other European countries are up 8.9 per cent on last year.
Tourists spent €1,113 million in Ireland during the second quarter of this year compared to €1,059 million last year.
A total of 1,431,000 Irish people travelled abroad between April and June this year, an increase of 8.4 per cent on the corresponding period last year.
Irish people spend slightly less abroad than tourists coming here, spending €1,052 million between April and June.