Powerscourt estate in County Wicklow witnessed a 14 per cent increase in visitor numbers in 2016 compared to the previous year.
In total, the estate saw 467,000 guests pass through its gates in 2016, 271,000 of whom visited the gardens while the rest were there to see the waterfall.
The cohort of visitors with the largest percentage increase were those from China - up by 47 per cent - while more Irish visitors also made the trip to the estate with that numbers in that group up by 34 per cent.
Powerscourt comes in 9th place on Fáilte Ireland's top 20 fee-paying visitor attractions. Topping that list is the Guinness Storehouse, which welcomed over 1.6 million visitors in 2016, and the Cliffs of Moher, which had over 1.4 million visitors in the same year.
Sarah Slazenger, managing director of Powerscourt estate said: "2016 confirmed that Powerscourt Gardens & Waterfall continues to be among the must-see visitor attractions in Ireland. "
“With exciting new businesses in the pipeline including Powerscourt Distillery and the Cool Plant Experience, the estate’s offering and appeal continues to grow each year.”
Abridged accounts for Powerscourt estate show that the company had net assets at the end of 2015 of €21.5 million, up from €20.4 million the previous year. In that year the company’s average number of employees was 40 while salary costs came in at over €1.29 million.
Fáilte Ireland's top 20 fee-paying visitor attractions:
Guinness Storehouse, Dublin
Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience, Clare
Dublin Zoo
National Aquatic Centre , Dublin
Book of Kells, Dublin
Tayto Park, Meath
St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin
Castletown House & Parklands,Kildare
Powerscourt House & Gardens, Wicklow
Fota Wildlife Park, Cork
Kylemore Abbey & Garden, Galway
Blarney Castle, Cork
Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin
Kilkenny Castle
Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, Clare
Rock of Cashel, Tipperary
Emo Court House & Gardens, Laois
Old Jameson Distillery, Dublin
Dublin Castle
Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin
