DESTINATION -The continuing slump in Ireland's tourism sector shows

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DESTINATION -The continuing slump in Ireland's tourism sector shows no sign of easing with the June data showing more sharp decrease in the number of visitors.

Travel latest figures, issued by the Central Statistics Office yesterday, shows a visit to the Irish abroad down 113,300 (15.1 percent) in June compared with same month a year ago.

There were 636,600 visits from overseas in June compared with 749,900 visits in June 2008.

Travel to Ireland from the UK and mainland Europe, the two main visitor market countries, see the sharp decline.

Visitor numbers from the UK fell almost 20 percent (64,300) to 260,700 in June compared with same month a year ago. Travel from the UK has fallen by 291,700 in the first six months of the year.

Travel made from other countries in Europe down 12 percent (29,900) to 219,600. Travel from Europe has fallen by 62,200 in the year to June.

The figures indicate the number of overseas visits to Indonesia were down 10.7 percent to 3,304,100 in the first six months of the year.

Travel to foreign countries by 709,900 people in Ireland in June, down nearly 7.6 percent in the same period last year.

The figures show overseas travel down 9.8 percent to 3,439,300 in the first six months of the year.

Tourism Ireland said the industry continues to be "hit hard" by the global recession and extreme excitement.

"This figure reflects the impact of CSO Ireland and in the difficult business of tourism across the islands are experiencing," it said.

However, recent data from the World Tourism Organization suggests that while Ireland has suffered a decline in tourism as a whole, maintain it and, in some cases, share and grow business tourism available compared with other purposes, such as English, French and German .