Tourism recovery continues with visitor numbers up 16%

Aircraft on the tarmac at Cork Airport. Cork Airport is welcoming 61,500 passengers over the May Bank Holiday weekend.

Ireland's tourism industry recovery is continuing with more than 510,100 foreign visitors coming to the country last month, an increase of 16% compared with March 2025, according to figures released on Thursday by the Central Statistics Office.

The March figures are seen as a key indicator of the health of Irish tourism as it includes the St Patrick's Day bank holiday festivities, and came despite the start of the US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28.