Nearly 1.5 million people visited Ireland between December 2014 and February this year, a 10.3% rise compared to the corresponding months a year ago.
Figures released by the CSO showed of the 1.44 million overseas visitors, nearly half were from Britain, were numbers also increased by 7.6 per cent.
The strongest growth came from mainland Europe,up 18.1 per cent to 480,700. Trips from North America were also up 6.6 per cent and 'other' regions (Africa, South America, Asia) also jumped. Only Oceania saw a decline, dropping by 6.3 per cent.
The rise in visitor numbers is keeping in line with what has been a very successful year for Irish tourism, as 7.3 million people descended on the country last year.
A new government tourism growth policy, called People, Place and Policy — Growing Tourism, was unveiled this week. Its main aim is to increase visitor numbers to ten million by 2025.
