The Central Statistics Office have released figures that show a big increase in the number of tourists to Ireland in early 2016.
Compared to January-March in 2015, this year saw an increase of 16.6% in terms of people coming to visit the country.
In total, 1,785,300 came to visit Ireland between 1 January and 31 March.
The Easter 1916 celebrations were central to the figures, with people flying in from across the globe to join in with the commemorations of the Rising.
“(The) data for the first quarter of 2016 shows continued strong growth in our overseas visit numbers which is welcome,” said Minister for Tourism Paschal Donohoe.
“Of course, the fact that Easter fell in March this year, along with the associated 1916 commemorative events, provided an added boost to these first quarter figures.”
Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, added: “(The) figures represent an excellent start to the year, as we roll out our promotional programme around the world.
“It was the best ever March and the best ever first quarter for Irish tourism.
“These figures very much reflect the sentiment expressed by our tourism industry partners overseas, including tour operators and carriers, as well as tourism businesses here at home. Our focus now is on surpassing last year’s success, to ensure that 2016 is another record-breaking year for overseas tourism.
“Promoting the Wild Atlantic Way and the Causeway Coastal Route continues to be a major focus for Tourism Ireland. We are also showcasing Ireland’s Ancient East and Dublin ‘A Breath of Fresh Air.'”
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