For the first time since 1991, the number of trips abroad by Irish residents fell in the key summer months this year.
The latest figures from the Central Statistics Office show that the number of visits abroad by Irish residents in the months from July to September fell by 12% to 2,137,000 compared to the same time last year.
The CSO says that holiday and leisure trips fell by the largest amount - 17%. However, trips to visit friends and relatives increased by 3% in the three month period.
Today's figures also reveal that 2,177,000 overseas visits were made to Ireland in the third quarter of the year, a decline of 12% from the 2,472,000 overseas visits made the same time last year.
The figures reveal that trips for business purposes fell by 24% while trips visiting relatives and friends rose by 7%.
The largest fall in the number of overseas visits here was by UK residents, with the numbers down by 17%. The number of visits by residents of other European countries decreased by 10% while visits from the North America were unchanged from the same time last year.
The CSO says the expenditure figures for the three month period show a net outflow of €691m. Visitors here spent €1.321m while Irish people abroad spent €2.012m.
