The number of trips to Ireland from overseas increased by five per cent in April compared to the same month last year.
New figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show there were 551,200 trips from overseas in that month, up from 524,800 in April 2003.
There were 1,763,100 trips to Ireland from overseas in the year to the end of April, an increase of 7.3 per cent on the previous year's figures. In the same period, the number of trips by British residents was up by 3.3 per cent. But trips by British residents in April fell by 1.3 per cent when compared with the same month in 2003.
Tourism authorities will welcome the increase in the number of visits to Ireland by residents of North America in April: the figures show an increase of some 22.5 per cent compared with April of last year.
The number of trips to Ireland by residents of other European countries also showed a rise in April, at 6.4 per cent.
Irish residents, meanwhile, made 409,000 overseas trips in April this year, an increase of 15.2 per cent on the same period last year.
Mr John Brown, spokesman for Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority, said the figures showed the industry was in line for a "pretty good performance" this year.