The number of holidaymakers travelling to Northern Ireland from the Republic rose by over 25% last year.
There has also been a 14% increase in the number of people crossing the border for non-leisure purposes.
Today's figures, released by the Northern Ireland Department of Trade, Enterprise and Investment, confirm what many had already suspected.
That is that the number of people travelling over the border is on the rise.
In 2008, there was an increase of 26% in the numbers of people from the Republic holidaying across the border.
The cross-border shopping trend is also evident. Last year, there was a rise of 14% in the numbers crossing the border for non-leisure purposes.
All this is good news for the Northern economy, which benefited to the tune of £50 million last year.
Northern Ireland Tourism Minister Arlene Foster welcomed the findings and said that the Republic is key to the long-term growth of the country’s tourism industry.
Meanwhile, the Northern Ireland Tourism Board, which has just spent over £2 million promoting the North as a holiday destination across the island of Ireland - also welcomed the figures.
