CAccording to new figures from the Central Statistics Office the number of foreign visitors arriving in Ireland rose by 27pc in January to 429,800, down 49.4pc on pre-pandemic.
This represents an increase on the same period last year although the total remains 5pc lower than January 2024 levels. The visitors accounted for 3.6m nights spent in the country also up by 27pc. Among the trips 46pc were to visit friends and relatives while 3pc were for holidays and 18pc for business purposes.
Foreign visitors to Ireland reached 429,800 in January 2026, up 27pc from January 2025 but down 5pc from January 2024. Visitors spent 3.6m nights in Ireland, which increased 27pc on January 2025 and decreased 6pc on January 2024.
Britain accounted for 43pc of visitors, Continental Europe for 36pc, North America for 14pc and Rest of the World for 7pc. The main purpose of trips was Visiting Friends & Relatives at 46pc, Holidays, Leisure & Recreation at 30pc and Business at 18pc. Expenditure by foreign visitors totalled €287m, up 34pc from January 2025 and down 3pc from January 2024.
- Overall visitor numbers were up 16.8pc on January 2025 and down 1-34pc on pre-pandemic.
- Visits from Britain are up 23.5pc on January 2025 and down -20.3pc on pre-pandemic
- Visits from North America are up 10.1pc on January 2025 and down -41.1pc on pre-pandemic
- Visits from mainland Europe are up 30.2pc on January 2025 and down -34.0pc on pre-pandemic
- Visits from Germany are up 43.2pc on January 2025 and down -33.4pc on pre-pandemic
- Visits from France are up 10.8pc on January 2025 and down -43.5pc on pre-pandemic
- Visits from Spain and Portugal are up 5.0pc on January 2025 and down -19.6pc on pre-pandemic
- Visits from Italy are up 70.0pc on January 2025 and down -20.7pc on pre-pandemic
- Visits from Australia and New Zealand are up 3.9pc on January 2025 and down -38,5pc on pre-pandemic
- Visits from USA are up 24.9pc on January 2025 and down -41.1pc on pre-pandemic
- Visits from Benelux are up 19.9pc on January 2025
- Visits from Scandinavia are up 31.4pc on January 2025
- Visits from Canada are up 47.4pc on January 2025 and down -41.1pc on pre-pandemic
- Outbound trip numbers from Ireland are up 6.7pc on January 2025 and up 69.9pc on pre-pandemic
Stastician Edward Duffy shared “The results show that almost 430,000 foreign resident visitors completed a trip to Ireland in January 2026, an increase of 27pc compared with January 2025 and a fall of 5pc compared with January 2024. The number of nights spent in Ireland by foreign visitors in January was just less than 3.6m nights, up 27pc when compared with January 2025 and down 6pc compared with January 2024.”
“In January 2026, the greatest number of visitors came from Britain (43pc), followed by Continental Europe (36pc), North America (14pc) and the Rest of the World (7pc). Comparing visitor numbers in January 2026 with January 2025, those from Britain were up 24pc, Continental Europe (+30pc), North America (+27pc), and from the Rest of the World (+29pc).”
Edward Duffy shared “The visitors’ expenditure in Ireland (excluding fares) was €287m in January 2026. Visitors from Continental Europe accounted for €101m (35pc), Britain for €85m (30pc), North America for €59m (20pc) and visitors from the Rest of the World for €43m (15pc). Taken together, this represented an increase of 34pc when compared with January 2025, and a decrease of 3pc compared with January 2024.”
“The leading purpose for travel to Ireland in January 2026 was for Visiting Friends & Relatives (46pc), followed by Holidays, Leisure & Recreation (30pc), and Business trips (18pc).”
