THE NUMBER of visitors to Ireland fell by 13 per cent during the final three months of 2009, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
The data also shows a 10 per cent decline in the number of trips taken abroad by Irish residents.
A total of 1,446,000 overseas trips were made to the country between October and December, compared to 1,665,000 for the same three-month period a year earlier.
Business trips to Ireland declined 30 per cent, while visits to friends and relatives rose 5 per cent during the quarter.
Visitors from Britain and mainland Europe were down in the year to the end of December, but there was a slight increase in tourists from the US and Canada.
Earnings from visitors to Ireland accounted for €746 million during the fourth quarter, as against €911 million for the same three-month period a year earlier.
The number of nights spent in the country by overseas visitors declined by 10 per cent from October to December. However, the average length of stay increased marginally to 7.3 nights.
The length of time spent in rented houses or apartments was down by 21 per cent, while the number of nights in hotels decreased by 19 per cent.
Visitors from Britain in particular spent 30 per cent fewer nights in hotels and 49 per cent fewer evenings in guest houses and BBs during the fourth quarter of 2009.
However, there was a 23 per cent rise in nights spent staying with friends and relatives.
The number of trips abroad by Irish residents totalled 1,473,000, down 10 per cent when compared to the same quarter a year earlier when citizens took 1,636,000 visits overseas. There was a 15 per cent fall in the number of overseas trips taken for recreational purposes compared to the same three-month period a year earlier. There was a 35 per cent decline in transatlantic trips taken, and a 4 per cent rise in cross-channel outings.
