Overseas visitor numbers increase for second year

The tourism sector is facing 2013 with renewed confidence after official figures show there was a slight growth in the number of overseas visitors to Ireland in 2012.

It is the second year in a row of rising foreign tourist numbers following a sharp drop in the previous few years during the start of the recession.

Data from the CSO shows there was an increase of 0.2% in overseas trip to Ireland last year — up 12,000 to 6,517,200.