- Almost 565,000 overseas visitors arrived in Ireland in April.
- Visitor numbers increased by 7pc compared with April 2025.
- Total nights spent rose 14pc to more than 3.9 million.
- Visitors spent €431.3m in Ireland excluding air fares.
- Britain accounted for 218,000 arrivals or 39pc of visitors.
Ireland hosted 565,000 overseas visitors in April, according to the Central Statistics Office. This figure represents a 7pc increase compared with April 2025. The number of nights spent in Ireland rose 14pc to more than 3.9m. Rolling annual was 6,701,200, up 7.3pc on the twelve months to April 2025.
The news is encouraging as the increase came against the backdrop of an earlier Easter season for travel, which affects many countries. The increase in March was 7.9pc, following increases of 7pc in February and 4.8pc in January. Each of this months had shown a decline in 2025.
Visitors from Britain accounted for 39pc of arrivals with 218,000 people. Continental Europe contributed 36pc of trips while North America made up 21pc. The United States sent 104,300 visitors, up 12pc on the previous year, and Canada recorded 14,300 visitors, up 30pc. Combined expenditure by visitors, excluding air fares, reached €431.3m, a 15pc rise on the same month in 2025.
Just over 40pc of visitors came for holiday, leisure and recreation. Just over one third visited friends and relatives while 15pc travelled for business.
Foreign visitors who departed Ireland in April 2026 stayed a total of 3.9m nights in the country, up 14pc on April 2025 and up 12pc on April 2024.
Visitors from Britain accounted for the largest share at (39pc), compared with Continental Europe (36pc), North America (21pc), and the Rest of the World (4pc).
In April 2026, 41pc of overnight foreign visitors indicated that the main purpose of their trip was for Holidays, Leisure & Recreation and 36pc said it was for visiting Friends & Relatives, and 15pc of trips were for Business reasons.
The average length of stay for foreign resident overnight visitors was 6.9 nights, up from 6.5 nights in April 2025.
Expenditure by foreign visitors in April 2026 was estimated at €431m, up 15pc compared with April 2025 (€375m), and up 3pc compared with April 2024 (€418m).
Edward Duffy, Statistician in the Tourism and Travel Division, shared: “The results show that just under 565,000 foreign resident visitors completed a trip to Ireland in April 2026, an increase of 7pc compared with April 2025 and up 3pc compared with April 2024. The number of nights spent in Ireland by foreign visitors in April was just over 3.9m nights, up 14pc when compared with April 2025 and up 12pc compared with April 2024.
In April 2026, the greatest number of visitors came from Great Britain (39pc), followed by Continental Europe (36pc), North America (21pc), and the Rest of the World (4pc). Visitor numbers rose in April 2026 when compared with April 2025: Great Britain (+2pc), Continental Europe (+10pc), North America (+14pc), and visitors from the Rest of the World fell when compared with April 2025 (-1pc).
The visitors’ expenditure in Ireland (excluding fares) was €431m in April 2026. Visitors from Continental Europe accounted for €159m (37pc), North America for €145m (34pc), Britain for €99m (23pc) and visitors from the Rest of the World for €28m (7pc). Taken together, this represented an increase of 15pc when compared with April 2025, and a rise of 3pc when compared with April 2024.
The leading purpose for travel to Ireland in April 2026 was for Holidays, Leisure & Recreation (41pc), followed by Visiting Friends & Relatives (36pc), and Business trips (15pc).”
Market by Market
- Australia and New Zealand: 7,500: down 7.4pc on April 2025 and down 48.3pc on pre-pandemic. Rolling annual was 125,000 down 2.6pc on the twelve months to April 2025.
- Belgium, Luxemburg and Netherlands: 28,100: up 25.4pc on April 2025. Rolling annual was 271,000, up 4.4pc on the twelve months to April 2025.
- Britain:: 218,000, up 16.6pc on April 2025 and down 40.2pc on pre-pandemic. Rolling annual was 2,504,200, up 1.8pc on the twelve months to April 2025.
- Canada: 14,300: up 30pc on April 2025. Rolling annual was 221,400, up 34pc on the twelve months to April 2025.
- Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden: 16,300: up 35.8c on April 2025. Rolling annual was 150,400, down 1.1pc on the twelve months to April 2025.
- Europe: 207,800: up 11pc on April 2025 and down 43pc on pre-pandemic. Rolling annual was 2,256,300, up 2.6pc on the twelve months to April 2025.
- France: 33,300: up 0.6pc on April 2025 and down 48pc on pre-pandemic. Rolling annual was 357,300 down 5.5pc on the twelve months to April 2025
- Germany: 41,700: up 14.9pc on April 2025 and down 44.3pc on pre-pandemic. Rolling annual was 458,800, up 7pc on the twelve months to April 2025.
- Italy: 21,100: up 22pc on April 2025 and down 42.3pc on pre-pandemic. Rolling annual was 245,200 up 5.8pc on the twelve months to April 2025.
- North America: 118,600: up 13.8pc on April 2025 and down 36pc on pre-pandemic. Rolling annual was 1,604,500, down 5pc on the twelve months to April 2025.
- Spain and Portugal: 22,500: down 16pc on April 2025 and down 48pc on pre-pandemic. Rolling annual was 310,900 down 5.6pc on the twelve months to April 2025.
- USA: 104,300: up 11.3pc on April 2025 and down 37.9pc on pre-pandemic. Rolling annual was 1,383,300, up 19.7pc on the twelve months to April 2025.
Destination guides to Ireland’s counties
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
CSO inbound tourism stats for Ireland
Overall – Australia/NZ – Benelux – Britain – Canada – Europe – France – Germany – Italy – North Anerica – Scandinavia – Spain/Portugal – USA – Outbound –
