Numbers holidaying here jump 30%

The number of people visiting Ireland for a holiday jumped by almost 30% in the first three months of this year compared to record high figures in 2015.

Latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that the total number of overseas visitors coming to Ireland grew by 16.6% to 1.785m trips in the first quarter of the year when compared to the same period in 2015. The number of holiday visitors grew by 28%, from 538,000 to 691,000.

The total amount of revenue from overseas visitors grew by 18% in the first three months of the year — bringing an additional €102m into the Irish economy compared with 2015. Revenue from holidaymakers grew by 29%.