Increasing number of US visitors coming to Ireland in the winter

December last year saw just under 80,000 US visitors arrive in Ireland, one of the strongest December on record for US tourists, writes Emer Walsh.

Tourists from Colorado, USA, brave the Irish weather at the Gap of Dunloe, Co Kerry. Picture: Dan Linehan

The number of US citizens visiting Ireland is expected to increase further this year, signalling a boost for Irish tourism after a stagnant 2025.

Research from hospitality data and analytics company STR found that American arrivals to Ireland continue to grow, with US tourists staying longer and spending more than the average visitor.

Speaking at the Irish Hotel Federation’s (IHF) annual conference in Killarney on Tuesday, Sarah Duignan of STR said that December 2025 was one of the strongest Decembers on record for US visitors, with American travellers also more likely to visit in the off-season compared to other tourists.

STR also said US citizens are increasingly visiting Ireland in the winter months, with notable increases in inbound numbers across October, November and December 2025. December last year saw just under 80,000 US visitors, Ms Duignan noted.

She added that this trend continued into the new year, with 800 more US visitors arriving in Ireland in January 2026 compared to the same month last year.

“We want to see as many flights coming in from Dublin and Shannon Airport, filled with Americans,” Ms Duignan told the INEC.

Positive outlook

“There is a very positive outlook for American visitors, and that is even despite the weakening US Dollar.” Figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that visitors from North America accounted for almost a quarter of total visitors to Ireland in 2025, following Great Britain at 38% and Continental Europe at 33%.

Looking forward, STR said US inbound travel will continue to grow, forecasting an increase of 5-6% in 2026.

Ms Duignan said:

Americans stay longer and spend more, They also do crazy itineraries that see them move around more often.

Ms Duignan also said the spread of US visitors across Ireland is helping the average daily rate (ADR) for hotels outside of Dublin, with many regional markets trading ahead of the capital.

In 2025, the ADR for Dublin was €174, trailing behind Limerick at €191, Kilkenny at €187 and Galway at €186. The ADR for Cork last year came in slightly lower at €163.

Tourists shopping on Grafton Street, Dublin.

Full hotels

Meanwhile, average occupancy was highest in Dublin last year at 84%, with Cork, Galway and Waterford all slightly lower at 75%.

Ms Duignan said that Dublin enjoyed a particularly positive year in 2025 with major events such as the Oasis reunion, the British and Irish Lions friendly and the two major US National Football League (NFL) games played in Ireland, contributing to growing occupancy.

Data by STR show that there were 63 nights in 2025 in which hotel room occupancy in Dublin exceeded 95%.

“Demand was nothing short of wild,” Ms Duignan said. “Those 63 nights were driven by very key events, which I believe are unlikely to follow suit in 2026.

“We see on average about 40 nights a year where occupancy exceeds 95%.” Ms Duignan said events remain as important as ever, with Race Week in Galway, the Cork Jazz Festival and Cork’s European Maritime Day all boosting visitor numbers, in addition to concerts and sporting events in Dublin.

“However, what goes up must come down,” Ms Duignan said, noting the NFL’s decision not to play a season game in Dublin this year.

“The forecast for Dublin for the end of this year is in negative territory, which is really on the back of the concert and sporting events last year that are not being backfilled in 2026.