Tourists visiting Northern Ireland during 1999 spent a record �255m as official figures revealed the highest number of visitors to the province since 1995.

Enterprise and Trade minister Sir Reg Empey welcomed the latest figures which he said were the result of a "relatively peaceful summer" and improved access.

The figures show an overall increase of 11% in the number of holidaymakers who visited Northern Ireland during 1999.

Statistics compiled by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board show a total of 1.64m visitors to Northern Ireland during 1999. This includes 310,000 holiday-makers.

The number of visitors from the Republic of Ireland rose by 22% while visitors from Great Britain were up by 21%.

The increases were welcomed by Sir Reg during an engagement at a conference of British tour operators in Belfast.

He said the relatively peaceful summer and political progress had contributed to visitors coming to Northern Ireland in greater numbers.

"1999 was a year of confidence, healthy investment levels, increased air and sea access to Northern Ireland and optimism on the eve of the new millennium.

"The challenge will be to build on these achievements and reach our goal of adding 20,000 new jobs to the economy."

Tourism chiefs were greatly encouraged by the number of visitors from Great Britain which, at 98,000, was the highest level achieved since 1995.

Approximately 112,000 holidaymakers from Great Britain had visited Northern Ireland during the year immediately after the first IRA ceasefire was declared.

Appointments

The Republic of Ireland remains the province's largest holiday market and showed significant growth despite the adverse effects of an unfavourable exchange rate.

European visitors were up by 9% while there were slight decreases shown in the German and business markets.

The figures are based on tourism performance data compiled by the NITB during the period January to September.

The latest announcement coincides with the appointment of two new members to the NITB.

Guinness managing director, Jean Francois Jamet and guest house owner Irene Adair join a board which includes Olympic gold medallist Mary Peters and current chairman Roy Bailie, who have been re-appointed.