Travelers shelled out approximately €995 for their April journey to Ireland, as reported by the Central Statistics Office.
Ireland Experiences Slight Decrease in Foreign Tourist Spending and Overnight Stays
New data from the Central Statistics Office has revealed that foreign visitor spend in Ireland decreased by 4% when compared to April 2023, but rose by 14% in comparison to April 2022.
The average foreign visitor in April spent €995 during their stay, with €284 allocated to travel fares, €33 on prepayments, €280 on accommodation, and €398 on daily expenses. This expenditure marks a rise of 14% in comparison to April 2023, but a drop compared to April 2022.
The total spending by foreign tourists, including fares, reached €525.4 million in April. British tourists accounted for €96 million (26%) of this amount, while Continental Europe contributed €134 million (36%), North America €121 million (32%), and the Rest of the World €25 million (7%). This spending declined by 10% in comparison to April 2024, but rose by 1% in comparison to April 2023.
Foreign tourists stayed a combined total of 3.4 million nights in Ireland in April, marking a drop of 1% in comparison to April 2022. The average length of stay for foreign visitors was 6.5 nights.
Great Britain was the leading source of tourists, accounting for 41% of the total, followed by the US with 18%. British tourist numbers saw a 2% increase when compared to April 2024, while smaller declines were observed in tourist numbers from all other regions. However, when compared to April 2023, visitor numbers from Great Britain surged by 13%, tourists from the US increased by 8%, and visitors from Continental Europe and the rest of the world rose by 28% and 26% respectively.
The majority of visitors traveled for holiday or leisure (40%), followed by visiting friends or relatives (38%). More tourists chose to stay with family or their own property (42%) compared to other accommodation types.
According to enrichment data, available figures show that tourist spending and overnight stays likely increased between April 2023 and April 2024, but specific figures for April 2024 are not provided in the initial search results. From April 2023 to 2025, spending excluding fares increased by 1%, and the number of overnight stays decreased by 6%. This suggests a possible increase or stability in tourist spending and overnight stays from April 2023 to April 2024, before slight decreases from April 2024 to April 2025.
The decline in foreign tourist spending in April 2024 compared to April 2023, as seen in the industry data, might have stemmed from reduced expenditure in various sectors such as finance, lifestyle, and travel, despite an increase in some categories compared to the previous year. The enhanced tourist spending and overnight stays observed from April 2023 to April 2024, as suggested by enrichment data, could be indicative of a positive trend in the travel industry, with expected increases in areas like finance and lifestyle expenditure during tourist visits.
