There has been an increase of 5 per cent in the number of worldwide tourists visiting Ireland.
The figures were announced on the first day of World TravelMarket, which is taking place this week in London.
The North benefited from an increase of 17 per cent in the number of tourists visiting the North."We're delighted at the increase of visitors from Britain into the whole ofIreland," said Tourism Ireland's Mr John Greene.
The organisation, which markets tourism in Ireland, is expecting to welcome around 7.4million overseas visitors in 2003.
Events for next year include ReJoyce Dublin to mark the 100th anniversary ofthe journey through Dublin of Stephen Dedalus and Leopold Bloom in the JamesJoyce masterpiece novel Ulysses.
June 16th - known as Bloomsday - is marked each year, but in 2004 festivitiesbegin in April and will continue throughout the summer.
PA