Inbound Tourism Numbers for April 2026 up 7% and spend up 15% on 2025 – CSO

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

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (29 May 2026) published Inbound Tourism April 2026.
The Inbound Tourism release is published every month and provides unique and timely insights on visitor trips to Ireland.

Inbound Tourism April 2026 – Key Findings

• Some 564,600 foreign visitors completed a trip to Ireland in April 2026, an increase of 7% when compared with April 2025 and up 3% on April 2024.
• Foreign visitors who departed Ireland in April 2026 stayed a total of 3.9 million nights in the country, up 14% on April 2025 and up 12% on April 2024.
• Visitors from Great Britain accounted for the largest share at (39%), compared with Continental Europe (36%), North America (21%), and the Rest of the World (4%).
• In April 2026, 41% of overnight foreign visitors indicated that the main purpose of their trip was for Holidays, Leisure & Recreation, 36% 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 6.9 nights, up from 6.5 nights in April 2025.
• Expenditure by foreign visitors in April 2026 was estimated at €431 million, up 15% compared with April 2025 (€375 million), and up 3% compared with April 2024 (€418 million).

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

“The results show that just under 565,000 foreign resident visitors completed a trip to Ireland in April 2026, an increase of 7% compared with April 2025 and up 3% compared with April 2024. The number of nights spent in Ireland by foreign visitors in April was just over 3.9 million nights, up 14% when compared with April 2025 and up 12% compared with April 2024. 

In April 2026, the greatest number of visitors came from Great Britain (39%), followed by Continental Europe (36%), North America (21%), and the Rest of the World (4%). Visitor numbers rose in April 2026 when compared with April 2025: Great Britain (+2%), Continental Europe (+10%), North America (+14%), and visitors from the Rest of the World fell when compared with April 2025 (-1%). 

The visitors’ expenditure in Ireland (excluding fares) was €431 million in April 2026. Visitors from Continental Europe accounted for €159 million (37%), North America for €145 million (34%), Great Britain for €99 million (23%) and visitors from the Rest of the World for €28 million (7%). Taken together, this represented an increase of 15% when compared with April 2025, and a rise of 3% when compared with April 2024.

The leading purpose for travel to Ireland in April 2026 was for Holidays, Leisure & Recreation (41%), followed by Visiting Friends & Relatives (36%), and Business trips (15%).”