Some 772,800 foreign visitors completed a trip to Ireland in August 2025, an increase of 1% when compared with the same month in 2024 and an increase of 5% compared with August 2023.
The average length of stay for foreign resident overnight visitors was 8.6 nights, down from an average of 8.7 nights in August 2024 and 9.9 nights in August 2023.
Visitors stayed a total of 6.7 million nights in the country, showing no change from August 2024, and a decrease of 9% when compared with August 2023.
The visitors spent €744 million on their trips (excluding fares), a drop of 9% when compared with August 2024, and an increase of 1% compared with August 2023.
The largest contingent of visitors came from Great Britain (36%), followed by visitors from the United States (23%).
The most frequent reason for travelling to Ireland was for holiday (48%).
The Inbound Tourism release is published every month and provides unique and timely insights on visitor trips to Ireland.
This release is based on the CSO Passenger Survey which is collected from approximately 13,000 departing passengers per month (of which typically 3,000-4,000 are foreign visitors) at the country’s international ports and airports by a team of dedicated CSO Tourist Enumerator staff. The data collected is calibrated against passenger flow data provided by the ports and airports.
Users should note that visitors are counted not by nationality but by country of residence, as such, foreign passport holders who are normally resident in Ireland are included as domestic travellers and not foreign visitors, while Irish passport holders who reside abroad and make a trip to Ireland are counted as visitors.
Foreign visitors in the context of this release refers to overseas residents who have stayed at least one night in Ireland. Visits from residents of Northern Ireland are not captured. Foreign visitors who depart Ireland via the airports and seaports of Northern Ireland are not captured in the survey.
To learn more about the methodology, please see the accompanying FAQ.
Some 772,800 foreign residents completed their visits to Ireland in August 2025, an increase of 1% compared with August 2024. These visitors spent 6.7 million nights in Ireland, showing no change with the same month in 2024. The visitors’ average length of stay was 8.6 nights, down from an average of 8.7 nights in August 2024. The visitors spent €743.7 million on their trips, a decline of 9% compared with August 2024. The average cost of their trips excluding fares in August 2025 was €962, whereas the average cost in August 2024 was €1,074.
| Inbound Tourism, August 2025 versus August 2024 | ||||
| Aug-24 | Aug-25 | Change | ||
| Visitors ('000s) | 763.6 | 772.8 | 9.2 | 1.2% |
| Nights ('000s) | 6,666.2 | 6,666.3 | 0.1 | 0.0% |
| Average length of stay (nights) | 8.7 | 8.6 | -0.1 | -1.2% |
| Expenditure - excluding fares (€million) | 820.1 | 743.7 | -76.4 | -9.3% |
| Mean expenditure - excluding fares (€) | 1,074 | 962 | -112 | -10.4% |
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
| Jan | 400 | 451.9 | 338.9 |
| Feb | 337 | 433.3 | 304.3 |
| Mar | 425.2 | 521.8 | 441.2 |
| Apr | 461.9 | 549.1 | 528.1 |
| May | 573.3 | 622.3 | 560.5 |
| Jun | 619.9 | 669.5 | 654.5 |
| Jul | 650.2 | 655.4 | 646.4 |
| Aug | 737.6 | 763.6 | 772.8 |
| Sep | 582.1 | 578.1 | |
| Oct | 577.4 | 548.1 | |
| Nov | 447.5 | 407.7 | |
| Dec | 445.2 | 390.7 |
In total, 2,417,400 passengers departed Ireland on overseas routes in August 2025, a 4.7% increase compared with August 2024. The majority of departing passengers (58.7%) were Irish residents heading outbound for tourism or other purposes. A further 9.3% were same day visitors, comprising Northern Ireland residents heading outbound via an airport or seaport in Ireland (4.2%), foreign resident transfer passengers (4.1%), or other foreign resident same day visitors (0.9%). Some 32.0% of the departing passengers were foreign resident overnight visitors, constituting 772,800 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 772,800 foreign visitors who departed Ireland on overseas routes in August 2025, the highest proportion (36.2%) was from Great Britain, accounting for 279,800 of the visitors in total. The second highest proportion (23.1%) was from the United States, accounting for 178,600 visitors. The third highest proportion (7.4%) came from Germany comprising a further 57,000 visitors. By way of comparison, in August 2024 there were 272,500 visitors from Great Britain, 143,800 from the United States, and 56,500 from Germany.
Foreign visitors who departed Ireland on overseas routes in August 2025 spent a total of 6,666,300 nights in the country. Broken down by residency, the Other Europe visitors (i.e. European overseas visitors excluding Great Britain) spent more nights in the country than any other residency group, accounting for 2,313,100 (34.7%) of the nights. The next most important visitor group, in terms of nights spent, was Great Britain making up 1,822,300 (27.3%) of the total nights. Visitors from United States & Canada were the third most important, accounting for a further 1,765,300 (26.5%) of the nights. Other visitors made up 765,600 (11.5%) of the nights. Compared with August 2024, the total visitor nights in the country showed no change. The average length of stay decreased, from 8.7 nights in August 2024 to 8.6 nights in August 2025.
Among the 772,800 foreign visitors departing Ireland on overseas routes in August 2025, more had come for holiday than for any other reason, with some 369,900 (47.9%) stating holiday as the main reason for their trip. The next most common reason was for visiting family and friends, with 239,900 (31.0%) of the visitors coming for this purpose. A further 71,000 (9.2%) of the visitors had come for business or work-related reasons. Compared with August 2024, visitors travelling for a holiday decreased by 0.8%, visiting family and friends decreased by 2.8%, and those visiting for business or work decreased by 6.0%.
Among the 772,800 foreign visitors who departed Ireland on overseas routes in August 2025, some 302,000 (39.1%) stayed in their own property or with family and friends as their main accommodation type. Another 283,400 (36.7%) of the visitors stayed in a hotel. Some 66,800 (8.6%) of the foreign visitors used rented/self-catering as their main accommodation type, while 52,300 (6.8%) of the visitors used guest house/bed & breakfast accommodation as their main accommodation type. By way of comparison, in August 2024 some 290,900 visitors stayed in their own property or with family and friends, 298,600 stayed in a hotel, 43,300 stayed in rented/self-catering accommodation types and 62,900 used guest house/bed & breakfast accommodation.
Foreign visitors who departed Ireland on overseas routes in August 2025 spent a total of €743.7 million, excluding fares, on their trips (a decrease of 9.3% compared with August 2024).
The total amount spent by foreign visitors (including fares) was just above €1billion. 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 €391.7 million (39.1% of the total expenditure). The next costliest subheading was accommodation at €302.4 million (30.2% of the total). Fares cost a further €257.9 million (25.8% of the total). Lastly, prepayments (items paid in advance, such as car hire, pre-booked tickets, etc.) comprised just €49.6 million (5.0% of the total).
Overall, in August 2025 the typical foreign visitor spent €1,296 (€962 excluding fares) on their trip to Ireland, breaking down as €334 on their fare, €64 on prepayments, €391 on accommodation, and €507 on day-to-day expenses. In August 2024, the comparable mean expenditure on these items was €363, €70, €437, and €566 respectively.
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
| Jan | 231.1 | 297 | 214 |
| Feb | 217.7 | 283.7 | 195.6 |
| Mar | 323.4 | 417 | 325.7 |
| Apr | 370.7 | 418.2 | 375.4 |
| May | 477.4 | 602.9 | 477.2 |
| Jun | 601 | 684.4 | 646.5 |
| Jul | 621.3 | 649.9 | 624.1 |
| Aug | 733.2 | 820.1 | 743.7 |
| Sep | 600 | 676.9 | |
| Oct | 515.8 | 534.3 | |
| Nov | 333.8 | 315.9 | |
| Dec | 412.9 | 328.6 |
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (29 September 2025) published Inbound Tourism August 2025.
Commenting on the release, Edward Duffy, Statistician in the Tourism and Travel Division, said:
“The results show that 772,800 foreign visitors departed Ireland on overseas routes in August 2025, an increase of 1% compared with August 2024 and up 5% when compared with August 2023. The number of nights spent by foreign visitors in August was just under 6.7 million nights, showing no change when compared with August 2024 and down 9% compared with August 2023.
In August 2025, the greatest number of visitors came from Great Britain (36%), followed by Continental Europe (31%), North America (26%) and the Rest of the World (6%). When compared with August 2024, visitors from North America were up 21%, while visitors from Great Britain were up 3%, visitors from Continental Europe declined by 12%, and visitors from the Rest of the World increased by 1%.
The visitors' expenditure in Ireland (excluding fares) was €744 million in August 2025. Visitors from Great Britian accounted for €155 million (21%) of this spend, Continental Europe for €251 million (34%), North America for €271 million (36%), and visitors from the Rest of the World for €68 million (9%). Taken together, this represented a fall of 9% when compared with August 2024, and an increase of 1% when compared with August 2023.
The most frequent reason for the visitors' trips was for holiday or leisure (48%), while almost one in three trips (31%) were to visit friends or relatives.”