Ireland's tourism sector took a huge hit during the pandemic, with a massive loss in revenue. But now, things are definitely improving. With smart investments and strong promotional campaigns, the country’s tourism is slowly but steadily getting back on track and preparing for both new challenges and fresh opportunities in the years ahead.
This report brings you the most up-to-date facts and figures about tourism in Ireland. It includes how much money the industry is expected to make, the balance between international and local travelers, and the big-picture trends. It also sheds light on key areas which support tourism growth such as jobs, housing & transport. As Ireland gears up for a wave of new visitors, this report gives a clear picture of where things stand and what the future might hold.

Tourism Growth Rate & Revenue

  1. The Travel & Tourism market in Ireland will generate US$3.01 billion in 2025 while demonstrating an annual growth rate of 3.88% until it reaches US$3.50 billion by 2029. (Reference from Statista)
  2. The tourism sector of Ireland was expected to produce €7.66 billion in revenue during 2020. The Covid pandemic caused actual earnings to decrease to €1.68 billion which led to an estimated €5.98 billion revenue loss. (Reference from Statista)
  3. Over €14.5 million has been invested by the Ireland National Tourism Development Authority into 11 new tourism projects, pursuant to which 11 new projects are expected to be completed in 2025. (Reference from Fáilte Ireland)
  4. In the first month of the year, January 2025, 339,000 overseas visitors came to Ireland, generating an estimated €214 million in revenue. (Reference from Tourism Ireland)
  5. The new Tourism Ireland 'Fill your heart with Ireland' campaign aims to reach 289 million viewers through advertising opportunities while its publicity activities will reach 770 million viewers through PBS, NBC, National Geographic, Condé Nast Traveler, and Travel + Leisure to promote awareness of Ireland's regional charm. (Reference from Tourism Ireland)
  6. The Irish government targets overseas tourism revenue to reach €5 billion in real terms by 2025. (Reference from DLRCOCO)

International vs Domestic Tourism

  1. Tourism consumption in Ireland achieved €10 billion in 2019 through a combination of inbound visitors who comprised 73% of the total while domestic visitors made up 27%. (Reference from ITIC)
  2. Ireland welcomed 339,000 foreign visitors in January 2025, marking a 25% decline compared to the same month in 2024. (Reference from CSO)
  3. Foreign tourists expended €214 million during their January 2025 visits which showed a 27.9% reduction when compared to January 2024. (Reference from CSO)
  4. The number of overnight stays by visitors in the country reached 2.8 million during January 2025 while showing a 25.7% reduction from the previous year(2024). (Reference from CSO)
  5. In January 2025 foreign resident overnight visitors spent an average of 8.4 nights in the country which remained identical to January 2024 figures. (Reference from CSO)
  6. The number of foreign visitors reached 304,300 in February 2025 as the market experienced a 30% decline from February 2024. (Reference from Breakingnews.ie)
  7. The country received a total of 6.6 million international visitors during 2024 which represented a 5% growth from 2023 figures. (Reference from Travelandtourworld)
  8. Tourism revenue from Continental Europe represented the largest share of 33.9% in total visitor spending across Ireland. The tourism market comprised primarily of Continental Europe at 33.9% with Great Britain at 30.4% and North America at 22.3% and the Rest of the World at 13.5%. (Reference from CSO)
  9. The tourism industry observed an 8.2% rise in domestic overnight trips during 2024 as Irish residents conducted 16.6 million trips as opposed to 2023. (Reference from Publicnow)
  10. The Southern region consisting of Clare, Tipperary, Limerick and Waterford together with Kilkenny, Carlow, Wexford and Cork and Kerry districts led all regions with 43% of all domestic trips. (Reference from Publicnow)
  11. The tourism industry grow further in 2025 based on projections where 46% of domestic tourism businesses predict revenue expansion. Research shows that 80% of domestic tourism enterprises operated at a break-even point or showed profits during 2024. (Reference from Ittn)
  12. Travellers from the Irish Republic made 10.2 million outbound visits in 2023, spending a total of US$10.3 billion on international tourism. (Reference from VisitBritian).

Top Source Countries for Inbound Tourists

  1. The United States stands as the second most important overseas market for tourism revenue with a 27% market share. (Reference from Hospitality Ireland)
  2. According to CSO research, Great Britain tourists represented the biggest percentage (44.1%) of inbound visitors to Ireland during January 2025 followed by United States tourists (12.7%) (Reference from CSO)
  3. Visitors from Great Britain stood at the top of February 2025 visitor statistics with 49.4% (150,400 visitors) while the United States trailed behind with 10.2% (31,200 visitors).(Reference from Breakingnews)
  4. Tourists from Germany ranked as the third biggest visitor group that visited Ireland in March 2024 and represented 6.5% of the total inbound tourist count. (Reference from CSO)
  5. France contributed 5.5% to the total number of tourists visiting Ireland in March 2024 which placed it among the five largest tourist-generating countries. (Reference from CSO)

Ireland’s Top Tourist Attractions & Destinations

  1. In 2023 the Cliffs of Moher received 1.3 million visitors which kept it as Ireland's leading natural destination. (Reference from Cliffsofmoher)
  2. Every year Trinity College Dublin receives about 2 million people visiting its campus. (Reference from Wikipedia)
  3. The Guinness Storehouse recorded a 10% visitor increase in 2024 which brought a total of 1.65 million guests while serving more than 1.5 million pints, remaining Ireland's top paid attraction. (Reference from Love Dublin)
  4. Dublin Zoo attracted 1,161,937 people in 2023 which placed it among the leading family-oriented attractions in Ireland. (Reference from Dublin Zoo)
  5. Phoenix Park Visitor Centre earned the title of Ireland's most popular destination in 2023 because it attracted 1,965,555 visitors while remaining a free attraction. (Reference from IrishCentral)
  6. The National Gallery of Ireland experienced a 29% rise in visitors throughout 2023 which resulted in 1,014,976 guests. (Reference from NationalGallery)

Tourist Demographics, Spending & Revenue Generation

  1. The visitor population to the UK from the Irish Republic consisted primarily of people under 35 years old while the 35–44 and 45–54 age groups made up nearly equal proportions. (Reference from VisitBritian)
  2. Approximately 18% of U.S. tourists to Ireland in 2019 were aged 65 and over, reflecting the rising significance of older travelers - a segment set to expand as Ireland’s 65+ population is projected to more than double by 2051. (Reference from AgefriendlyIreland)
  3. In 2019, tourists planning trips to Ireland mostly used internet resources while guidebooks accounted for 25% of sources and travel agents made up 14% of information sources. (Reference from Dreambigtravelfarblog)
  4. The most widely chosen recreational activities by international visitors in Ireland during 2019 were walking and cycling since 2.4 million people walked while 361,000 biked throughout their stay. (Reference from Monaghan)
  5. The average tourist spending reached €840 in 2019 as Australia, Asia, and Pacific visitors spent the most among all international travelers in Ireland. Tourists from North America spent €717 per visit in Ireland while British visitors spent the lowest at €264 per visit. (Reference from ITIC)

Ireland’s Tourism Sector Employment Statistics

  1. The Tourism & Hospitality sector in Ireland supported 270,000 jobs during 2024, reflecting as one of the key employment sectors for the national economy. (Reference from IHF)
  2. The Travel & Tourism industry in Ireland maintained 144,000 jobs in 2023 but analysts predict this number will reach 157,000 jobs during 2024. All jobs in the sector come from three categories: direct and indirect employment + induced employment. (Reference from Statista)
  3. The tourism sector of Ireland directly supported 284,800 full-time equivalent jobs in 2019 while the total employment which include indirect roles reached 351,700 FTEs. Tourism jobs in Ireland accounted for 13% of the total workforce in the country. (Reference from ITIC)
  4. More than 20,000 Irish businesses heavily rely on tourism activities while most of these companies operate as small or micro-enterprises. (Reference from ITIC)
  5. By 2025, the tourism industry of Ireland will require 250,000 employees to fill positions that currently support 200,000 staff members. (Reference from DLRCOCO)

Ireland Accommodation Statistics & Trends

  1. The need for 11,500 additional bedrooms in the tourism accommodation sector in Ireland by 2032 is likely to be unmet in regional areas, leaving a supply gap, with an estimated 8,000 additional bedrooms required to meet growing demand and support the potential growth of the tourism economy. (Reference from DrinkindustryIreland)
  2. Dublin's guesthouses have had an 83% occupancy rate in 2023, making the city a top destination for both domestic and international travelers. (Reference from Echolive)
  3. In the past 12 months, Ireland’s hotel investment market bucked the trend of the rest of Europe and recorded over €1 billion in deals, a historic peak. Major sales, including Dublin landmarks such as The Shelbourne and The Hard Rock Hotel, had largely fueled this momentum. (Reference from Crowe)
  4. New rules mean that short term rental sites like those on Airbnb and Booking.com in Ireland are now limited to 90 days per year in towns and cities with more than 10,000 people. The aim is to help tourism and ensure that there are enough long term homes for locals. (Reference from IrishExaminer)
  5. In 2025, the government will allocate approximately 12 percent of all hotel rooms in Ireland for emergency accommodation including housing for Ukrainian refugees and asylum seekers, reducing overall room availability for tourists. (Reference from IrishExaminer)
  6. Prices of hotel rooms in Dublin have risen to €180, almost 27% more than before the pandemic. Most of this increase is down to strong demand for a limited supply.(Reference from IrishExaminer)

Ireland’s Transportation & Accessibility Statistics

  1. Overseas tourists who visit Ireland choose car rentals at a rate of 20% to explore the remote and hard-to-reach areas across the nation. (Reference from Quantus Advisory)
  2. The percentage of journeys completed by walking increased from 13.5% in 2019 to 16.9% in 2021 as travelers chose eco-friendly and healthy modes of transportation. (Reference from CSO)
  3. Private car trips (both driving and riding) accounted for 71% of all Irish travel in 2021 which marked a 3% drop from 74% in 2019. (Reference from CSO)
  4. A Tourism Ireland survey found that 50% of visitors choose public transport over driving since they prefer buses and trains and guided tours.(Reference from Tourism Ireland)
  5. Transport for Ireland introduced five hybrid buses on route 139 to improve accessibility for all passengers including visitors with mobility limitations.(Reference from Transportforireland)

Ireland Digital Trends in Travel

  1. Some 80 percent of tourism businesses in Ireland currently have a website or online presence. (Reference from Silicon Republic)
  2. In Ireland, 66% of internet users book their transportation online, from local buses and trains, to flights and taxis, to even short term rentals such as bikes and cars. It also applies to transport tickets bought from tour operators, often as part of a holiday package. (Reference from CSO)
  3. But more than half of people (51%) have already booked their accommodation online, whether through a hotel’s website, a travel agent, or booking platforms like Trivago, Booking.com, etc. This also covers holiday accommodation booked through a tour operator. (Reference from CSO)
  4. Fáilte Ireland’s study found that 45% of respondents had a smartphone or similar mobile device. Of these users, 54.9% reported using their device while travelling around Ireland, and 31.5% even booked parts of their vacation directly through their mobile. (Reference from Fáilte Ireland)
  5. In fact, more than half (64%) of people who have visited Ireland have told their story online through photos and posts. Not only does this highlight the power of word of mouth, but it also provides future visitors some fantastic stories to anticipate. (Reference from Nitravel News)
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