Assistance service sees rise in crimes against tourists

Tourists can be seen as easy targets for crime, which may help explain the increase in the number of cases referred to the Irish Tourist Assistance Service last year.

But provisional figures also indicate that even after falling victim to crime here, almost 90% of holidaymakers continued with their stay.

Official figures will be released in March but yesterday the Irish Tourist Assistance Service said 433 cases were referred to its office in 2012, involving more than 700 tourists.