The recent slump in official figures for the number of people visiting Ireland moderated sharply last month, according to Central Statistics Office data published on Wednesday.
Some 654,500 foreign residents visited Ireland in June. That represented a year-on-year drop of 2 per cent, compared with drops of 10 per cent in May; 4 per cent in April; 15 per cent in March; and 30 per cent in February.
Foreign visitors spent a total of €646.5 million in the month, excluding fares, which represented a decrease of 5.5 per cent compared with June last year.
Again that is more modest that the fall in spending in previous months – 21 per cent in May, 10 per cent in April, 22 per cent in March and 31 per cent in February.
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Tourism is Ireland’s largest indigenous industry and biggest employer, with 257,900 people working in the sector. Ireland took in €6.2 billion from overseas tourists in 2024, although the number of bed-nights last year was down 3 per cent.
CSO statistician Gregg Patrick described February’s decline at the time as “an acceleration” of the downward year-on-year trend in foreign visitor numbers that first emerged in September last year.
The pattern of decline recorded by the CSO raised some eyebrows within the industry, which said it had not necessarily fit with on-the-ground experience.
Broken down by expense category, the costliest subheading for tourists in June was day-to-day spending at €320.4 million (36.3 per cent). This includes expenditures such as eating out, entrance fees to venues and public transport.
Next was accommodation at €292.8 million (33.2 per cent), followed by prepayments, which includes items such as car hire and pre-booked tickets, which came to €33.3 million (3.8 per cent).
Overall, the typical foreign visitor spent €988 excluding fares on their trip to Ireland – €51 on prepayments, €447 on accommodation and €490 on day-to-day expenses.
By way of comparison, visitors in June last year spent a total of €1,022 excluding fares – €45, €458 and €519 on those categories respectively.
The data shows visitors spent 5.2 million nights in Ireland last month, up 6 per cent compared with the same month in 2024. The average length of stay was 7.9 nights, up from an average of 7.3 nights.
Britain continues to be the largest country of origin for visitors, accounting for 34.2 per cent of all visitors to the Republic. However, the 224,100 people who travelled here from Britain last month was down slightly on the 227,400 who came in June last year.
There were increases in the numbers coming from our next two biggest markets – the United States (166,300, up almost 6,000) and Germany (54,800, up more than 11,000).
More people said they were coming here for a holiday than for any other reason at 47.5 per cent. Visiting family and friends, at 29.9 per cent, was the next most likely purpose followed by 13 per cent who were travelling for business or work.
Those numbers show a slight rise in the proportion of visitors coming here for holiday or to visit family and friends but a significant 20 per cent fall in numbers coming for work-related purposes.
Some 45.3 per cent of visitors stayed in a hotel, while 32.3 per cent stayed in their own property or with family and friends. About 7 per cent used rented or self-catering as their main accommodation, while 5.8 per cent used a guest house or a bed and breakfast.
