Fáilte Ireland published its preliminary Tourism Facts 2016, a compilation of key findings on tourism performance in Ireland in 2016, on June 20th. With data from a number of sources, the report provides detail on where tourists came from, where they went in Ireland, why overseas tourists came to Ireland, where they stayed and what they did during last year. “This comprehensive reference guide for tourism in Ireland provides us with the necessary insights for planning and developing future tourism,” says Fáilte Ireland’s Head of Research, Caeman Wall. “For example, this year’s Tourism Facts 2016 tells us that while Britain remains our largest source market for overseas tourism, Mainland Europe is delivering more holidaymakers. Furthermore, for first time ever, Ireland has broken the one million barrier for North American holidaymakers. While we have known for some time that 2016 was a record year for tourism, this report adds more layers to our understanding of that performance.”