Inbound Tourism Numbers for February 2026 up by 33% on 2025 – CSO

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has published Inbound Tourism figures for February 2026.

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (30 March 2026) published Inbound Tourism February 2026.
The Inbound Tourism release is published every month and provides unique and timely insights on visitor trips to Ireland.

Inbound Tourism January 2026 – Key Findings

• Some 404,700 foreign visitors completed a trip to Ireland in February 2026, an increase of 33% when compared with February 2025 and down 7% on February 2024.
• Foreign visitors who departed Ireland in February 2026 stayed a total of 2.4 million nights in the country, up 31% on February 2025 and down 12% on February 2024.
• Visitors from Great Britain accounted for the largest share (43%), compared with Continental Europe (40%), North America (12%), and the Rest of the World (4%).
• In February 2026, 36% of overnight foreign visitors indicated that the main purpose of their trip was for Visiting Friends & Relatives, 35% said it was for Holidays, Leisure & Recreation, and 18% of trips were for Business reasons.
• The average length of stay for foreign resident overnight visitors was 5.8 nights, down from 5.9 nights in February 2025.
• Expenditure by foreign visitors in February 2026 was estimated at €250 million, up 28% compared with February 2025 (€196 million), and down 12% compared with February 2024 (€284 million).

Commenting on the release, Edward Duffy, Statistician in the Tourism and Travel Division, said:

“The results show that almost 405,000 foreign resident visitors completed a trip to Ireland in February 2026, an increase of 33% compared with February 2025 and a fall of 7% compared with February 2024. The number of nights spent in Ireland by foreign visitors in February was just less than 2.4 million nights, up 31% when compared with February 2025 and down 12% compared with February 2024.

In February 2026, the greatest number of visitors came from Great Britain (43%), followed by Continental Europe (40%), North America (12%), and the Rest of the World (4%). There were significant increases in visitor numbers when comparing February 2026 with February 2025: Great Britain (+16%), Continental Europe (+55%), North America (+42%), and visitors from the Rest of the World (+22%).

The visitors’ expenditure in Ireland (excluding fares) was €250 million in February 2026. Visitors from Continental Europe accounted for €97 million (39%), Great Britain for €78 million (31%), North America for €57 million (23%), and visitors from the Rest of the World for €18 million (7%). Taken together, this represented an increase of 28% when compared with February 2025, and a decrease of 12% when compared with February 2024.

The leading purpose for travel to Ireland in February 2026 was for Visiting Friends & Relatives (36%), followed by Holidays, Leisure & Recreation (35%), and Business trips (18%).”