In the first quarter of 2015 overseas visitors spent an estimated €590 million in Ireland, representing an increase of 10.5 per cent on the corresponding period of 2014.
The latest update from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) also showed that there were 1.5 million overseas visitors to Ireland in the first quarter - an increase of 14 per cent on the same quarter last year.
The number of holiday visitors increased by 13 per cent, with business up by 27 per cent and those visiting friends & relatives up by five per cent.
Total earnings from all visitors to Ireland in the first quarter grew by 12 per cent to €780 million, according to the CSO.
Total overseas nights increased by 13 per cent to just over 10 million nights, while holiday nights were up by 10 per cent and business nights grew by 28 per cent.
There were 1.38 million staying visitors (at least one overnight) - an increase of 14 per cent on 2013, while same-day visits (154,000) grew by 20 per cent.
Staying visitors (at least one overnight) by market show that British visitors were up by 14 per cent and mainland European visitors were up by 16 per cent, with American visitors up by seven per cent and visitors from other long haul areas up by 8 per cent.
“Tourism’s strong growth continues and, on current trends, we may be looking at a record year for overseas visitors in 2015," said Fáilte Ireland CEO Shaun Quinn on the results.
“Our key objective now will be to ensure we can sustain this growth. Whether it is through new exciting propositions such as the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East or via the latest innovations in digital and social media, Fáilte Ireland will be using every opportunity it can to maximise tourism growth and to ensure the sector delivers the additional revenue and jobs which it is more than capable of doing.”
