Over the past 12 months 7.9 million visitors from overseas have visited our shores adding €4.2billion in revenue to the economy.
And Tourism Ireland said it hopes the filming of the latest Star Wars movie on Skellig Michael, off the coast of Co Kerry, will help to draw even more in the coming months.
Boss Niall Gibbons added: “Following a record 2015, ambitious targets have been set for 2016
and beyond.
“This week’s release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens – which will feature Skellig Michael – also presents Tourism Ireland with a truly unique opportunity to highlight the South West and Ireland in 2016.”
Tourists from the US, Canada, Germany, France, Spain and Australia have come to Ireland in record numbers this year.
There was also a 10% jump in visitors from Britain, our largest tourism market.
The latest figures from the Central Statistics Office showed an extra half a million holidaymakers came here in the first nine months of the year – a rise of 19%.
And more importantly for the economy, revenue from overseas visitors jumped by 18% during this period – an additional €500million compared to 2014.
Star Wars filming will help bring 8.2m tourists to Ireland in 2016.
Tourism Ireland said a number of its key promotions around the world including the 150th anniversary of the birth of WB Yeats and its Ireland Says “I do” campaign helped to increase numbers.
Mr Gibbons added: “Throughout 2015 Tourism Ireland undertook a packed programme of promotions to bring Ireland to the attention of travellers everywhere.
“A major focus of our activity was the Wild Atlantic Way. Other important themes have included ID2015 [Year of Irish Design] and Yeats2015.”
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