Inbound Tourism Numbers for March 2026 up by 16% on 2025 – CSO

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

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

Inbound Tourism March 2026 – Key Findings

• Some 510,100 foreign visitors completed a trip to Ireland in March 2026, an increase of 16% when compared with March 2025 and down 2% on March 2024.
• Foreign visitors who departed Ireland in March 2026 stayed a total of 3.2 million nights in the country, up 14% on March 2025 and up 4% on March 2024.
• Visitors from Great Britain accounted for the largest share at (40%), compared with Continental Europe (35%), North America (21%), and the Rest of the World (3%).
• In March 2026, 43% of overnight foreign visitors indicated that the main purpose of their trip was for Holidays, Leisure & Recreation, 34% said it was for visiting Friends & Relatives, and 15% of trips were for Business reasons.
• The average length of stay for foreign resident overnight visitors was 6.4 nights, down from 6.5 nights in March 2025.
• Expenditure by foreign visitors in March 2026 was estimated at €372 million, up 14% compared with March 2025 (€326 million), and down 11% compared with March 2024 (€417 million).

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

“The results show that more than 510,000 foreign resident visitors completed a trip to Ireland in March 2026, an increase of 16% compared with March 2025 and a fall of 2% compared with March 2024. The number of nights spent in Ireland by foreign visitors in March was just over 3.2 million nights, up 14% when compared with March 2025 and up 4% compared with March 2024. 

In March 2026, the greatest number of visitors came from Great Britain (40%), followed by Continental Europe (35%), North America (21%), and the Rest of the World (3%). Visitor numbers rose in March 2026 when compared with March 2025: Great Britain (+17%), Continental Europe (+14%), North America (+17%), and visitors from the Rest of the World (+13%). 

The visitors’ expenditure in Ireland (excluding fares) was €372 million in March 2026. Visitors from Continental Europe accounted for €132 million (35%), North America for €117 million (31%), Great Britain for €101 million (27%) and visitors from the Rest of the World for €22 million (6%). Taken together, this represented an increase of 14% when compared with March 2025, and a decrease of 11% when compared with March 2024.

The leading purpose for travel to Ireland in March 2026 was for Holidays, Leisure & Recreation (43%), followed by Visiting Friends & Relatives (34%), and Business trips (15%).”

Read the full report HERE