The number of trips made by overseas visitors to Ireland in the first three months of this year rose by 6% compared with the same period last year.
Central Statistics Office figures show that foreign visitors made just under 1.3 million trips.
Visits from Britain showed signs of recovery, rising 3% on a year earlier, but trips from North America were down 11%. Visits from continental European countries jumped by 33%.
Irish people made 1,208 trips abroad, up 16% on the same period last year. There was a 32% rise in transatlantic visits and a 24% increase in trips to continental Europe.
Visitors from abroad spent €711m, but this was outweighed by the €857m spent by Irish people on their trips outside the country.
The CSO figures also show that the number of bed nights spent in guest houses and bed and breakfasts dropped by 19% compared with a year earlier, though hotel bed nights were up 6%.
