Expenditure by foreign visitors for 2025 was estimated at €5.5 billion, down 9% compared with 2024 and up 1% compared with 2023
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (29 January 2026) published Inbound Tourism December 2025.
The Inbound Tourism release is published every month and provides unique and timely insights on visitor trips to Ireland.
Inbound Tourism December 2025 – Key Findings
- Some 524,100 foreign visitors completed a trip to Ireland in December 2025, an increase of 34% when compared with December 2024. Overall, for the full year 2025, total foreign visitor numbers fell by 3% to 6.4 million.
- Foreign visitors who departed Ireland in December 2025 stayed a total of 4.8 million nights in the country, and their estimated expenditure (excluding fares) amounted to €427 million.
- For the full year 2025, visitors from Great Britain accounted for the largest share (38%), compared with Continental Europe (33%), North America (24%) and Rest of the World (5%).
- For the 12 months of 2025, 40% of overnight foreign visitors indicated that the main purpose for their trip was for Holidays, Leisure & Recreation, 35% said it was for Visiting Friends & Relatives, and 15% of trips were for Business reasons.
- Overnight foreign visitor nights throughout 2025 amounted to 47.9 million nights, down by 3% compared with 2024, while the average length of stay for trips made during 2025 was 7.5 nights, the same as in 2024.
- Expenditure by foreign visitors for the full year 2025 was estimated at €5.5 billion, down 9% compared with 2024 (€6 billion), and up 1% compared with 2023 (€5.4 billion).
Commenting on the release, Edward Duffy, Statistician in the Tourism and Travel Division, said:
“The results show that just over 524,000 foreign resident visitors completed a trip to Ireland in December 2025, an increase of 34% compared with December 2024 and up 18% compared with 2023. December typically accounts for around 6-8% of foreign resident visitors over the year.
The increase in visitor numbers in December 2025 coincides with significant growth in departing passenger numbers, particularly at Dublin Airport. Overall, passenger departures at the main airports and seaports increased by more than 207,000 passengers (+14%) in December 2025 compared with December 2024. It is also worth noting that December 2024 Dublin Port passenger numbers may have been impacted by the temporary closure of Holyhead Port following Storm Darragh.
Foreign visitors spent just under 4.8 million nights in Ireland in December 2025 and expenditure – excluding fares – was estimated at €427 million.
Full Year 2025
“Looking at figures for the full year 2025, the total number of overnight visitors from overseas was just over 6.4 million, a decrease of 3% compared with 6.6 million visitors in 2024, and an increase of 2% compared with 6.3 million visitors in 2023.
Visitors living in Great Britain accounted for the largest share (38%) in 2025, compared with 33% who were resident in Continental Europe, 24% from North America, and 5% from the Rest of the World. In 2025, 40% of visitors indicated that the main purpose for their trip was for Holidays, Leisure & Recreation, while Visiting Friends & Relatives accounted for 35%, and 15% of trips were for Business reasons.
Overnight foreign visitor nights in 2025 amounted to just less than 47.9 million, down by 3% compared with 2024, while the average length of stay for trips made in 2025 was 7.5 nights, the same as in 2024.
Expenditure by foreign visitors for 2025 was estimated at €5.5 billion, down 9% compared with 2024 (€6 billion), and up 1% compared with 2023 (€5.4 billion)”.
Read the full report HERE
