Ireland sees rise in tourist numbers, but Brexit leads to fall in UK visitors

There has been a drop in the number of British tourists coming to Ireland.

Half year figures from Tourism Ireland show the overall number of overseas visitors is up more than 4%.

However, currency fluctuations with sterling have partly contributed to a 6.2% fall in visitors from the UK.

Tourism Ireland CEO Niall Gibbons says it's been a good year to date overall, but there are challenges.

He said: "The one thing that you have to watch out for is the decline in British visitors of 6.2%.

"Britain is our biggest market and since the Berxit vote we've seen a decline in the value of sterling versus the euro which has made Ireland and all trhe eurozone countries less competitive from a holiday persepctive for British travellers."