In a survey conducted by the Fáilte Ireland, reports the Irish Examiner, it was determined that 60% of tourists to Ireland would recommend a holiday there to their friends and families.

In particular, survey results show that Dublin and Galway are more popular with the younger crowd of visitors, while Cork is popular with seniors over 65.

The article also found that hotels are generally the most popular accommodations while abroad, but B&Bs are more popular in Dingle; hiking and nature walks are most popular in Dingle and the Northwest, while museums and galleries are most popular in Dublin; Galway, Mayo, Ring of Kerry, and Dingle are all attractive destinations for couples, whereas Cork and the Southeast are more popular with families.

The Fáilte 360: Holidaymaker Survey 2012 looked at the experience of around 10,000 international and domestic tourists who visited 11 holiday areas across Ireland last year.

“If we want to continue to attract more overseas visitors to Ireland, we need to know more about what they think, what they like and what they want,” says chief executive of Fáilte Ireland Shaun Quinn. “Tourism is in a good place compared to five years ago but we can’t become complacent."

Between March and May, there were more than 1.7m visitors to the country- up from about 30% compared to the same time in 2010.

Despite this boost, though, it would appear that the regions which benefit the most from these number are the urban ones like Cork City or Dublin, while the rural destinations don't see as much tourism.