This chapter presents information on the tourism sector of the Irish economy. The tourism and travel information covers earnings and expenditure from tourism and travel as well as detailing the number of trips to Ireland classified by area of residence and reason for journey. Details of foreign and domestic travel by Irish residents classified by region visited and reason for journey are also included.
| Table 20.1 Overseas trips to Ireland by non-residents - number of trips, average length of stay and expenditure by area of residence, 2013 - 2018 | ||||||
| '000 | ||||||
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
| Total overseas trips to Ireland | 6,986 | 7,604 | 8,643 | 9,584 | 9,932 | 10,616 |
| Great Britain | 2,929 | 3,164 | 3,547 | 3,924 | 3,729 | 3,759 |
| France | 434 | 456 | 505 | 531 | 549 | 565 |
| Germany | 483 | 557 | 629 | 652 | 681 | 818 |
| Italy | 234 | 258 | 321 | 344 | 363 | 409 |
| Other Europe | 1,312 | 1,368 | 1,588 | 1,774 | 1,888 | 2,021 |
| USA & Canada | 1,158 | 1,329 | 1,514 | 1,808 | 2,101 | 2,384 |
| Australia & New Zealand | 187 | 190 | 207 | 204 | 208 | 229 |
| All other areas | 248 | 284 | 331 | 346 | 411 | 432 |
| Nights | ||||||
| Average length of stay in Ireland | 7.3 | 7.2 | 7.1 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.7 |
| Great Britain | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.1 |
| France | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.6 | 9.4 | 9.3 | 8.9 |
| Germany | 9.6 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 8.6 | 8.3 | 7.7 |
| Italy | 9.0 | 9.5 | 8.6 | 7.8 | 8.5 | 8.3 |
| Other Europe | 8.8 | 9.0 | 8.7 | 8.9 | 7.8 | 7.9 |
| USA & Canada | 8.2 | 7.4 | 7.7 | 7.2 | 6.9 | 6.6 |
| Australia & New Zealand | 11.8 | 12.5 | 12.3 | 12.5 | 12.6 | 12.0 |
| All other areas | 14.1 | 14.8 | 15.1 | 15.6 | 15.5 | 14.4 |
| €million | ||||||
| Total expenditure in Ireland (excluding fares) | 3,262 | 3,548 | 4,208 | 4,577 | 4,874 | 5,149 |
| Great Britain | 847 | 885 | 971 | 1,061 | 1,007 | 981 |
| France | 200 | 202 | 236 | 274 | 295 | 291 |
| Germany | 286 | 334 | 397 | 388 | 399 | 467 |
| Italy | 119 | 132 | 153 | 175 | 190 | 198 |
| Other Europe | 629 | 639 | 771 | 821 | 883 | 890 |
| USA & Canada | 822 | 935 | 1,197 | 1,335 | 1,523 | 1,735 |
| Australia & New Zealand | 168 | 177 | 200 | 204 | 207 | 218 |
| All other areas | 191 | 244 | 283 | 319 | 370 | 369 |
| Source: CSO | ||||||
In 2018, 10.6 million overseas trips were made by non-residents to Ireland compared to 9.9 million trips in 2017, an increase of 6.9%. Trips by residents of USA and Canada to Ireland increased by 13.4% to almost 2.4 million trips between 2017 and 2018.
The average length of stay in Ireland by all overseas travellers decreased to 6.7 nights in 2018 compared to 2017. The most important overseas markets in terms of non-fare expenditure within Ireland in 2018 were USA and Canada (33.7%) and Great Britain (19.1%).
Interactive table: StatBank link
Link to releases: Tourism and Travel Quarterly and Overseas Travel Quarterly
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
| Great Britain | 2929000 | 3164000 | 3547000 | 3924000 | 3729000 | 3759000 |
| France, Germany, Italy | 1151000 | 1271000 | 1455000 | 1527000 | 1593000 | 1792000 |
| Other Europe | 1312000 | 1368000 | 1588000 | 1774000 | 1888000 | 2021000 |
| USA & Canada | 1158000 | 1329000 | 1514000 | 1808000 | 2101000 | 2384000 |
| Other Areas | 435000 | 474000 | 538000 | 550000 | 619000 | 660000 |
| Table 20.2 Overseas trips to Ireland by non-residents - number of trips, average length of stay and expenditure by reason for journey, 2013 - 2018 | ||||||
| '000 | ||||||
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
| Total overseas trips to Ireland | 6,986 | 7,604 | 8,643 | 9,584 | 9,932 | 10,616 |
| Business | 1,242 | 1,282 | 1,441 | 1,539 | 1,478 | 1,432 |
| Visit to friends/relatives | 2,015 | 2,209 | 2,297 | 2,553 | 2,566 | 2,655 |
| Holiday/leisure/recreation | 3,059 | 3,324 | 4,001 | 4,388 | 4,710 | 5,235 |
| Other | 670 | 789 | 904 | 1,105 | 1,178 | 1,294 |
| Nights | ||||||
| Average Length of Stay in Ireland | 7.3 | 7.2 | 7.1 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.7 |
| Business | 5.4 | 5.6 | 5.3 | 5.7 | 6.1 | 6.2 |
| Visit to friends/relatives | 7.3 | 7.4 | 7.3 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.1 |
| Holiday/leisure/recreation | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.5 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.3 |
| Other | 14.0 | 12.1 | 11.9 | 10.0 | 9.4 | 8.1 |
| €million | ||||||
| Total expenditure in Ireland (excluding fares) | 3,262 | 3,548 | 4,208 | 4,577 | 4,874 | 5,149 |
| Business | 580 | 587 | 675 | 724 | 766 | 744 |
| Visit to friends/relatives | 670 | 784 | 803 | 864 | 895 | 881 |
| Holiday/leisure/recreation | 1,687 | 1,823 | 2,330 | 2,547 | 2,758 | 3,105 |
| Other | 324 | 353 | 400 | 443 | 456 | 419 |
| Source: CSO | ||||||
The number of overseas trips to Ireland for the purpose of holiday/leisure/recreation increased by 525,000 trips to over 5.2 million trips between 2017 and 2018, a rise of 11.1%. However, over the same period, the number of business trips to Ireland dropped by 46,000 trips to just over 1.4 million trips, a decrease of 3.1%.
Excluding fares, expenditure by overseas travellers increased by 5.6% in 2018, from €4,874 million in 2017 to €5,149 million. Of this €5,149 million, 60.3% was spent by overseas travellers for Holiday/leisure/recreation purposes, 17.1% by those travelling to visit friends and relatives, 14.4% by business travellers and the remaining 8.1% by those travelling for ‘Other’ reasons.
Interactive table: StatBank link
Link to releases: Tourism and Travel Quarterly and Overseas Travel Quarterly
| Table 20.3 Outbound travel (overnight trips) by Irish residents - number of trips, number of nights, average length of stay and expenditure by region visited, 2013 - 2018 | ||||||
| '000 | ||||||
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
| Total outbound - trips | 6,575 | 6,677 | 7,094 | 7,644 | 8,171 | 8,643 |
| EU1 | 5,614 | 5,735 | 6,161 | 6,597 | 7,116 | 7,443 |
| Other Europe2 | 191 | 142 | 181 | 142 | 151 | 193 |
| USA and Canada | 404 | 453 | 422 | 492 | 558 | 546 |
| Central, South & Other Americas | 39 | 32 | 40 | 55 | 30 | 79 |
| Asia | 133 | 173 | 165 | 222 | 221 | 256 |
| Africa | 78 | 87 | 80 | 66 | 63 | 65 |
| Australia, New Zealand & Oceania | 115 | 56 | 44 | 71 | 32 | 62 |
| Total outbound - nights | 51,985 | 53,652 | 53,515 | 56,748 | 57,698 | 60,623 |
| EU1 | 37,103 | 40,237 | 40,564 | 42,416 | 44,048 | 44,319 |
| Other Europe2 | 1,641 | 1,460 | 1,263 | 989 | 1,075 | 1,618 |
| USA and Canada | 5,691 | 6,295 | 5,877 | 6,334 | 6,929 | 6,347 |
| Central, South & Other Americas | 492 | 526 | 629 | 869 | 462 | 1,234 |
| Asia | 2,467 | 2,492 | 2,811 | 3,311 | 3,435 | 4,150 |
| Africa | 950 | 1,386 | 1,244 | 1,278 | 926 | 875 |
| Australia, New Zealand & Oceania | 3,642 | 1,256 | 1,127 | 1,550 | 822 | 2,079 |
| Nights | ||||||
| Average length of stay | 7.9 | 8.0 | 7.5 | 7.4 | 7.1 | 7.0 |
| EU1 | 6.6 | 7.0 | 6.6 | 6.4 | 6.2 | 6.0 |
| Other Europe2 | 8.6 | 10.3 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.1 | 8.4 |
| USA and Canada | 14.1 | 13.9 | 13.9 | 12.9 | 12.4 | 11.6 |
| Central, South & Other Americas | 12.6 | 16.5 | 15.8 | 15.7 | 15.3 | 15.7 |
| Asia | 18.6 | 14.4 | 17.0 | 14.9 | 15.6 | 16.2 |
| Africa | 12.1 | 16.0 | 15.5 | 19.4 | 14.6 | 13.5 |
| Australia, New Zealand & Oceania | 31.7 | 22.6 | 25.7 | 22.0 | 25.7 | 33.3 |
| €million | ||||||
| Total outbound - expenditure | 5,384.2 | 5,590.2 | 6,022.1 | 6,539.0 | 6,890.7 | 7,434.6 |
| EU1 | 3,456.2 | 3,831.3 | 4,185.9 | 4,438.2 | 4,830.9 | 4,964.1 |
| Other Europe2 | 173.1 | 156.4 | 158.1 | 122.4 | 149.7 | 188.9 |
| USA and Canada | 819.0 | 890.2 | 925.7 | 1,051.1 | 1,137.9 | 1,203.3 |
| Central, South & Other Americas | 77.0 | 88.6 | 96.1 | 150.5 | 73.7 | 166.6 |
| Asia | 371.6 | 347.0 | 368.5 | 472.4 | 477.0 | 587.7 |
| Africa | 111.4 | 142.3 | 168.4 | 117.5 | 122.3 | 154.6 |
| Australia, New Zealand & Oceania | 376.0 | 134.2 | 119.4 | 187.0 | 99.3 | 169.4 |
| 1From 1st July 2013, EU includes Croatia. | ||||||
| 2Other Europe includes Croatia until the 30th June 2013. | ||||||
| Source: CSO | ||||||
Over 8.6 million outbound trips were undertaken by Irish residents in 2018. The average length of stay on outbound trips was 7.0 nights, varying from 6.0 nights within the European Union, 11.6 nights in USA and Canada and 33.3 nights in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania.
Total expenditure by Irish residents on outbound trips amounted to under €7,435 million during 2018, of which almost 67% was spent within the European Union.
Interactive table: StatBank link
Link to release: Household Travel Survey Quarterly
| Table 20.4 Domestic travel (overnight trips) by Irish residents - number of trips, number of nights, average length of stay and expenditure by reason for journey, 2013 - 2018 | ||||||
| '000 | ||||||
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
| Total domestic - trips | 8,413 | 8,991 | 9,125 | 9,359 | 9,626 | 10,919 |
| Holiday | 4,073 | 4,436 | 4,658 | 4,870 | 4,886 | 5,323 |
| Business | 364 | 453 | 407 | 431 | 426 | 473 |
| Visiting friends/relatives | 2,988 | 2,918 | 2,921 | 3,045 | 3,096 | 3,759 |
| Education & training | 142 | 128 | 167 | 157 | 218 | 183 |
| Sporting events | 269 | 396 | 331 | 296 | 335 | 387 |
| Work/looking for work | 84 | 101 | 80 | 84 | 68 | 130 |
| Other1 | 493 | 559 | 559 | 477 | 598 | 664 |
| Total domestic - nights | 24,195 | 26,086 | 25,267 | 25,589 | 25,539 | 28,393 |
| Holiday | 13,986 | 14,424 | 14,751 | 15,077 | 13,844 | 15,058 |
| Business | 616 | 904 | 672 | 764 | 745 | 779 |
| Visiting friends/relatives | 7,095 | 7,335 | 6,877 | 7,238 | 7,689 | 9,000 |
| Education & training | 721 | 745 | 952 | 772 | 1,218 | 884 |
| Sporting events | 495 | 755 | 630 | 574 | 669 | 678 |
| Work/looking for work | 266 | 368 | 259 | 220 | 288 | 449 |
| Other1 | 1,016 | 1,556 | 1,126 | 944 | 1,086 | 1,545 |
| Nights | ||||||
| Average length of stay | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
| Holiday | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 2.8 |
| Business | 1.7 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.6 |
| Visiting friends/relatives | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.4 |
| Education & training | 5.1 | 5.8 | 5.7 | 4.9 | 5.6 | 4.8 |
| Sporting events | 1.8 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.8 |
| Work/looking for work | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 4.2 | 3.5 |
| Other1 | 2.1 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 2.3 |
| €million | ||||||
| Total domestic - expenditure | 1,533.0 | 1,713.5 | 1,725.3 | 1,797.7 | 1,879.1 | 2,006.0 |
| Holiday | 947.2 | 992.8 | 1,070.4 | 1,135.8 | 1,129.2 | 1,232.6 |
| Business | 84.2 | 110.3 | 98.0 | 106.3 | 123.3 | 116.9 |
| Visiting friends/relatives | 284.8 | 327.0 | 296.5 | 297.0 | 353.1 | 352.9 |
| Education & training | 46.4 | 40.6 | 60.7 | 53.9 | 73.3 | 56.7 |
| Sporting events | 49.9 | 67.3 | 58.7 | 64.3 | 62.1 | 61.6 |
| Work/looking for work | 16.9 | 21.0 | 17.9 | 19.2 | 19.3 | 30.6 |
| Other1 | 103.6 | 154.5 | 123.1 | 121.2 | 118.7 | 154.7 |
| 1Other includes Health & Medical, Religious, Shopping and other reasons not elsewhere specified. | ||||||
| Source: CSO | ||||||
Interactive table: StatBank link
Link to release: Household Travel Survey Quarterly
| Holiday | Business | Visiting Friends/Relatives | Education and Training | Sporting Events | Other incl. Work/Looking for Work | |
| 2013 | 4073 | 364 | 2988 | 142 | 269 | 577 |
| 2014 | 4436 | 453 | 2918 | 128 | 396 | 660 |
| 2015 | 4658 | 407 | 2921 | 167 | 331 | 639 |
| 2016 | 4870 | 431 | 3045 | 157 | 296 | 561 |
| 2017 | 4886 | 426 | 3096 | 218 | 335 | 666 |
| 2018 | 5323 | 473 | 3759 | 183 | 387 | 794 |
Irish residents took more than 10.9 million domestic trips in 2018. The average length of stay for domestic trips was 2.6 nights, resulting in a total of 28.4 million bed nights. Holidays accounted for just under half of all domestic trips (48.7%), while almost 3.8 million trips (34.4%) were to visit friends or relatives.
Total expenditure by Irish residents on domestic trips for 2018 amounted to €2,006 million. Under €1,233 million of this was accounted for by those on holidays, which was an increase of 9.2% compared to 2017.
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