Overseas trips by Irish people increased by 13 per cent to 764,000 in June compared with the same period the previous year, the CSO said today.
However, visits by foreign tourists to the country only rose by 3 per cent to 750,000 in the same month.
While overall visitor numbers from Britain were down 2.9 per cent for the first six months of the year, figures in June showed an increase of 3,200.
Minister for Tourism Seamus Brennan said he was satisfied with the figures despite the challenges of global economic anxiety and poor weather. He said UK visitors were hit by high interest rates, less disposable per cent income and severe weather conditions.
Mr Brennan noted that the number of overseas visitors to Ireland has increased by more than 3 per cent for the first half of the year compared to the corresponding period in 2006.
"Last year broke all records in terms of overseas visitor numbers and associated revenue and it was always going to be challenging to maintain this upward momentum," he said.
Visitors from mainland Europe for the first six months of the year are up by almost 15 per cent compared to 2006.
Today's data shows that Ireland is "holding its own" in the international tourism market, Mr Brennan said.