The number of overseas trips taken by Irish residents dropped by over 8 per cent, according to figures released today by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
Amid the recession, the number of these overseas visits dropped by 8.4 per cent to 502,100 in January 2009 compared to the 548,400 recorded for the same month last year.
The figures also reveal a fall in overseas trips to Ireland. There were 424,200 overseas trips to the State in January 2009, a drop of nearly 3 per cent compared to January 2008.
Visits from Britain comprised almost all of this decrease, dropping by almost 16,000 (7 per cent) to 208,300. Second-ranked to Britain in terms of source of vistors to Ireland during January was the United States with 41,800 visitors and Poland, with 24,500.
Elsewhere, however, visits by residents of other European countries and North America posted slight increases to 149,500 and 45,200 respectively, according to the CSO.
Of the total number of overseas trips to Ireland, 208,300 were from Britain, 149,500 were from other European countries, 45,200 from North America, and 21,200 from other areas.
The CSO survey is carried out through interviews at Dublin, Cork, Shannon, Knock and Kerry airports and Rosslare, Ringaskiddy, Dún Laoghaire and Dublin ports.
