merrion street

Overseas visitor numbers finished strongly in 2012 and have got off to a positive start in 2013 with a 4.4% increase from all market areas between November and January.

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar welcomed the figures:

"I am very pleased to see such a positive start to The Gathering, with the positive performance at the end of last year continuing into 2013. There was particularly strong growth from North America and other long-haul markets between November and January, and continued growth from Mainland Europe,"

"These figures also confirm that visitor numbers from Britain have stabilised, which should provide a solid foundation for renewed growth in this market. The tourism agencies are already rolling out the recommendations of the Tourism Recovery Taskforce which is designed to restore visitor numbers from Britain."

"The Gathering has got off to a robust start and the upcoming St Patrick’s Festival will give us an opportunity to make further tourism gains. We are promoting the St Patrick’s Festival in all our key markets, including the international ‘greening’ of famous landmarks and iconic sites around the world. I am confident we can build on this momentum during the year."

Read the full press release here for more details.