Source: CSO

The CSO reported today that the number of Irish Visits abroad from October to December 2007 was 1,734,000, an increase of 13% on the corresponding period in 2006. Overseas trips abroad on Transatlantic routes grew by 23% - fuelled by weak US dollar - compared with Q4 2006 and trips on Continental European routes increased by 16%. Irish Visits abroad for reason of Holiday/Leisure/Recreation accounted for 65% of all Transatlantic trips taken.

There were 1,756,000 Overseas Visits to Ireland in the Fourth Quarter of 2007 compared with 1,701,000 in the same period of 2006, an increase of 3%. The number of Overseas Visits by residents of Other European Countries grew by 8% while Overseas Visits by residents of USA and Canada grew by 6%. The number of Visits by residents of Great Britain remained almost unchanged while visits by residents of Other Areas decreased by 3% on Q4 2006.

The expenditure figures for October - December 2007 show a net outflow of €373m. Earnings from Visitors to Ireland accounted for €1,024m while expenditure by Irish Visitors Abroad amounted to €1,396m.

The Tourism figures also show that:

• Irish Visits abroad for the reason of Visits to Friends/Relatives grew by 16%. Overseas Visits to Ireland for the reason of Business showed an increase of 6% compared to Q4 2006.

• There were 98,000 same-day Visits to Ireland in the Fourth Quarter of 2007, of which 76,000 were made by residents of Great Britain. In the same period, there were 41,000 Overseas same-day visits by Irish
  Residents.

• The number of bednights spent on Overseas Visits to Ireland increased by 5% with the number of nights spent in hotels increasing by 14%, compared to the same period in 2006.