Some 669,500 foreign visitors completed a trip to Ireland in June 2024, an increase of 8.0% compared with June 2023.
The largest contingent of visitors (34.0%) came from Great Britain, followed by the United States (24.0%), and then Germany (6.5%).
The visitors stayed a total of 4.9 million nights in the country, an increase of 7.9% when compared with June 2023.
The visitors' most frequent reason (45.8%) for travelling to Ireland was for holiday or leisure.
The visitors spent €962.3 million in total on their trips, a rise of 14.4% when compared with June 2023.
The Inbound Tourism series is a new statistical series based on an updated sampling methodology and data collection process. For more information, including an update on the implementation of the new series, see Background Notes for more details.
Foreign visitors in the context of this release refers to overseas residents who have stayed at least one night in Ireland. These overseas residents include both Irish and non-Irish nationals but specifically exclude residents of Northern Ireland.
Foreign visitors who depart Ireland via the airports and seaports of Northern Ireland are not captured in the survey.
Some 669,500 foreign residents completed their visits to Ireland in June 2024, an increase of 8.0% compared with June 2023. These visitors had spent 4.9 million nights in Ireland, an increase of 7.9% compared with the same month in 2023. The visitors’ average length of stay remained the same, at 7.3 nights in June 2023 and June 2024. The visitors expended €962.3 million on their trips, an increase of 14.4% compared with June 2023. The average cost of their trips in June 2024 was €1,437, whereas their average cost 12 months previously was €1,357.
| Inbound Tourism, June 2024 versus June 2023 | ||||
| June 2023 | June 2024 | Change | ||
| Visitors ('000s) | 619.9 | 669.5 | 49.6 | 8.0% |
| Nights ('000s) | 4,518.2 | 4,876.9 | 358.7 | 7.9% |
| Average length of stay (nights) | 7.3 | 7.3 | 0.0 | -0.1% |
| Expenditure (€million) | 841.2 | 962.3 | 121.1 | 14.4% |
| Mean expenditure (€) | 1,357 | 1,437 | 80.5 | 5.8% |
| X-axis label | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 400 | 451.9 |
| Feb | 337 | 433.3 |
| Mar | 425.2 | 521.8 |
| Apr | 461.9 | 549.1 |
| May | 573.3 | 622.3 |
| Jun | 619.9 | 669.5 |
| Jul | 650.2 | |
| Aug | 737.6 | |
| Sep | 582.1 | |
| Oct | 577.4 | |
| Nov | 447.5 | |
| Dec | 445.2 |
In total, 2,161,600 passengers departed Ireland on overseas routes in June 2024, an increase of 3.6% compared with June 2023. The majority of departing passengers (59.4%) were Irish residents heading outbound for tourism or other purposes. A further 9.7% were same day visitors, comprising Northern Ireland residents heading outbound via an airport or seaport in the Republic of Ireland (3.6%), foreign resident transfer passengers (5.0%), or other foreign resident same day visitors (1.1%). Some 31.0% of the departing passengers were foreign resident overnight visitors, constituting 669,500 visitors in total. The remainder of this release focuses exclusively on the characteristics and activities of these foreign resident overnight visitors (referred to simply as foreign visitors).
Of the 669,500 foreign visitors who departed Ireland on overseas routes in June 2024, the highest proportion (34.0%) was from Great Britain, accounting for 227,400 of the visitors in total. The second highest proportion (24.0%) was from the United States, accounting for 160,700 visitors. The third highest proportion (6.5%) came from Germany comprising a further 43,400 visitors. This visitor profile remains largely unchanged from June 2023 when 36.8% of the visitors were from Great Britain, 23.9% from the United States, and 7.2% from Germany.
Foreign visitors who departed Ireland on overseas routes in June 2024 spent a total of 4,876,900 nights in the country. Broken down by residency, Other Europe visitors spent more nights in the country than any other residency group, accounting for 1,810,700 (37.1%) of the nights. The next most important visitor group, in terms of nights spent, was the United States and Canada, making up 1,453,400 (29.8%) of the total nights. Visitors from Great Britain were third most important, accounting for a further 1,030,000 (21.1%) of the nights. Other visitors made up 582,700 (11.9%) of the nights. Compared with June 2023, the total visitor nights in the country increased by 7.9%. The average length of visit stayed the same, at 7.3 nights in June 2023 and June 2024.
Among the 669,500 foreign visitors departing Ireland on overseas routes in June 2024, more had come to holiday than for any other reason. Some 306,400 (45.8%) had holiday or leisure as the main reason for their trip. The next most likely reason was to visit family or friends, with 191,000 (28.5%) of the visitors coming for this purpose. A further 106,900 (16.0%) of the visitors had come for business or work-related reasons. This differed from June 2023 when 42.6% had come for holidays, 33.1% to visit family or friends, and 14.3% for business or work.
Among the 669,500 foreign visitors who departed Ireland on overseas routes in June 2024, some 308,500 (46.1%) stayed in a hotel. Another 227,100 (33.9%) of the visitors had used family/friend or their own property as their main accommodation type. A further 39,800 (5.9%) of the visitors used guest house/bed & breakfast as their main accommodation type, while 36,300 (5.4%) of the foreign visitors used rented/self-catering as their main accommodation type. By way of comparison, in June 2023 some 286,200 visitors stayed in a hotel, 231,700 in their own property or the property of family or friends and 34,900 stayed in rented/self-catering accommodation types.
Foreign visitors to Ireland who departed Ireland on overseas routes in June 2024 spent a total of €962.3 million on their trips (an increase of 14.4% compared with June 2023).
Broken down by expense category, the costliest subheading was day-to-day spending (incidental expenditures incurred during their visit such as eating out, entrance fees, public transport, etc, but excluding accommodation), amounting to €347.7 million (36.1% of the total expenditure). The next costliest subheading was accommodation at €306.5 million (31.9% of the total). Fares cost a further €277.9 million (28.9% of the total). Lastly, prepayments (items paid in advance, such as car hire, pre-booked tickets, etc.) comprised just €30.2 million (3.1% of the total).
Overall, in June 2024 the typical foreign visitor spent €1,437 on their trip to Ireland, breaking down as €415 on their fare, €45 on prepayments, €458 on accommodation, and €519 on day-to-day expenses. In June 2023 the comparable mean expenditure on these items was €387, €42, €435, and €493 respectively.
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (30 July 2024) released Inbound Tourism June 2024.
Commenting on the release, Gregg Patrick, Statistician in the Tourism and Travel Division, said:
“The results show that 669,500 foreign visitors departed Ireland on overseas routes in June 2024, an increase of 8.0% compared with June 2023.
Some 34.0% of the visitors were from Great Britain, 24.0% were from the United States, and 6.5% were from Germany.
Typically, their visit lasted 7.3 nights.
Their most frequent reason for their journey (45.8%) was for holiday or leisure purposes.
More of the visitors stayed in hotels (46.1%) than in any other accommodation type, and the typical cost of their visit was €1,437, which comprised €415 on fares, €45 on prepayments, €458 on accommodation, and €519 on day-to-day expenditure.”