Ireland's Central Statistics Office (CSO) has reported "signs of stabilisation" in the number of UK residents visiting the country after figures for June revealed a 3 per cent drop.

Nearly 253,000 UK visitors travelled to Ireland during June 2010 - compared with more than 260,000 in June 2009. However, the rate of decline is far less than the 20 per cent fall when compared with the same month in 2008. Meanwhile, visitor numbers from the North America and other non-European areas increased during June, which Irish tourism minister Mary Hanafin said gives the industry "confidence" for future months.

Hanafin said: "Visitors from these markets are particularly important as they tend to book well in advance, stay longer and spend more than visitors from nearer markets who are on shorter breaks." However, overall figures for the first half of the year have revealed a 20 per cent decrease in the number of visitors to Ireland, when compared with the same period in 2009. Trips by Irish residents overseas also fell.

Image: Tourism Ireland/Holger Leue