The number of overseas visitors to Ireland in the first six months of the year grew by 9 per cent, according to figures released yesterday by the Central Statistics Office.
The Minister for Tourism, Dr McDaid, described the increase as healthy but said he was concerned the benefits of growth were not being evenly distributed throughout the State.
The strongest growth came from the North American market, where numbers grew by almost 18 per cent. The British market also performed strongly, with growth of almost 10 per cent. Growth from Continental Europe has been sluggish, at only 2 per cent.
The principal markets, Germany and France, have been hit by difficult domestic economic conditions compounded by the strength of the pound against the deutschmark and the franc.
The IRA ceasefire presented an opportunity which the tourist industry should build on, the Minister said.
The figures also show revenue for the first quarter of 1997 grew by about 10 per cent. Bord Failte's target for the full year is a 7 per cent increase in numbers and a 9 per cent revenue increase.