Wild Atlantic Way generated €2.4bn last year

Overseas and domestic tourism rose last year

The Old Head of Kinsale on the Wild Atlantic Way.  The region attracted four million tourists last year.

Tourism in Ireland grew last year, with the number of overseas and domestic tourists increasing.

More than eight million people travelled to Ireland last year, with a further 16.5 million domestic trips recorded, according to data released by Failte Ireland.

The tourism industry here brought in almost €12bn, supporting an estimated 226,300 employees. The report notes that for every euro a tourist spends, 29 cents returns to the Exchequer, leading to an estimated €3bn in taxation.

The total revenue from overseas tourists was €6.169bn, with North America being the highest-spending market at €2.216bn. An additional €1.5bn was spent by overseas visitors on fares to Irish carriers such as airlines and ferry operators, taking total foreign earnings to over €8bn. Expenditure from domestic tourism amounted to €3.6bn.

Failte Ireland said Britain remains the largest source of visitors to Ireland at 2.7m but many of these visits were for work or to visit relatives. Failte Ireland noted that, last year, Ireland welcomed more holidaymakers from North America than from Britain.

North American tourists were also the highest spenders, contributing €2.216bn in revenue. Overall, overseas tourists spent an average of €121 per person per day, with holidaymakers specifically spending €168 daily.

The most common accommodation choice for overseas visitors was staying with friends or relatives, followed by hotels, while domestic travellers primarily opted for hotels.

Regional performance showed strong demand across the country, with Dublin remaining the top destination for overseas visitors, attracting over four million tourists. On a brand region level, the Wild Atlantic Way was the most popular, welcoming over 2.3m overseas tourists and generating €2.37bn in revenue. Domestic tourism also thrived, with the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland's Ancient East, and Dublin being the most visited regions.