Visitors to Ireland increased by 7.4% during the first three months of this year.

In total, there were 1.25 million visits made here making an overall increase of more than 86,500, compared to last year.

Trips by North Americans increased by 16.7% to 168,800.

The number of people coming to Ireland from Europe were up 13%, while visits by British people rose 1.4%.

While more people are coming to Ireland less Irish people are venturing abroad. The total number of overseas trips made by Irish residents during the period from January to March 2013 decreased by 2.1% to 1.2 million.

The total number of trips (Irish residents’ trips overseas plus trips to Ireland) for the same period increased by 2.5% to nearly 2.5 million when compared to 2012.