The number of overseas visitors to Ireland in the fourth quarter of 2002 was up 2.5 per cent on the previous year, according to Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures.
The CSO said there were 1,286,000 overseas visitors to Ireland during the quarter compared with 1,255,000 in 2001.
The number of overseas visitors on Continental routes grewby 10.7 per cent; the number on transatlantic routes grew by 14 per cent.
The number of Irish visitors going abroad between October and December 2002 was 981,000 - an increase of 10.6 per cent on the corresponding period last year.
Irish residents travelling abroad on continental routesrose by 24 per cent compared with the fourth quarter in 2001, but the number on transatlantic routes fell by 7.3 per cent.
Earnings from visitors to Ireland accounted for €828 million; expenditure by Irish visitors abroad amounted to €837 million.
The CSO said the average length of stay for visitors to Ireland during the period October-December 2002 was 7.3 nights. This compares with 9.2 nights for Irish residents going abroad.