There was a 6.4% increase in the number of trips made to Ireland in the first five months of the year compared to the same period of 2012, according to the Central Statistics Office.
Overseas residents made around 2.49 million trips to Ireland in the year to May, according to the figures, 149,200 more than in the first five months of last year.
More than 1.77 million of those trips were between March and May – an 8% increase on the same period of 2012.
Of those travelling to Ireland between January and May, 43% (1.07 million) came from Britain. This is 29,000 (2.8%) higher than comparable figures for 2012.
Almost 37% (917,300) came from the rest of Europe - 8.5% higher than January-May 2012 - while 15% (369,100) came from North America – up 13%.
Meanwhile the number of Irish residents’ trips overseas was 1.4% lower in the first five months of the year when compared to the same period of 2012.
