The number of trips taken abroad during the first three months of 2009 fell by 13 per cent compared to the same period a year earlier.
According to new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the number of visitors to Ireland during the first quarter declined by 9 per cent.
From January to March of this year, 1.54 million overseas trips by Irish citizens were recorded, down from 1.76 million for the same quarter in 2008 and the first decline since 2000.
This is the first time a decline has been seen in the first three months of the year since 2000.
The biggest fall in trips was in continental routes which fell by 17 per cent. Cross-channel trips rose 1 per cent during the quarter.
The amount of money spent by members of the public while away totalled €1.3 billion.
The number of visitors to Ireland declined 9 per cent from 1.5 million to 1.4 million over the year however; CSO said that the fall may have been influenced by the timing of Easter, which fell in March last year but in April in 2009.
Visitors from Britain declined 15 per cent from January to March, while trips from North America fell 9 per cent during the first quarter.
Overseas visitors from continental European countries rose 2 per cent over the same three-month period.
The number of nights spent in Ireland by visitors declined by 12 per cent with nights spent in hotels down 20 per cent.
The Labour Party said that the latest figures made for grim reading and called on the Government to do more to assist the tourism sector.
"Tourism is one of the largest industries in this country, responsible for 280,000 jobs and almost €5 billion in revenue. Yet despite this the industry does not get the recognition and protection that other industries such as Agriculture get," said the party's tourism spokeswoman,Mary Upton.
Elsewhere, Ryanair claimed the data offered further confirmation that the Government is committing “tourism suicide”.
"The Government’s ridiculous €10 travel tax, plus the Government-appointed Aviation Regulator’s proposed further increase in airport charges will ensure that Ireland is firmly on course to lose over 2.5 million passengers and 2,500 jobs in 2009 and continue to collapse into 2010," said the airline's head of communications, Stephen McNamara.
"It seems ironic that the collapse of Irish tourism and its devastating impact on jobs is ignored by this hapless Government as they prepare themselves for their three-month holiday,” he added.
