Tourism figures for August 2026 show year-to-date overnight visits by foreign residents at 4.7 million
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (29 September 2026) published Inbound Tourism August 2026. The Inbound Tourism release is published every month and provides unique and timely insights on visitor trips to Ireland.
Inbound Tourism August 2026 – Key Findings
- Some 788,700 foreign visitors completed a trip to Ireland in August 2026, an increase of 2% when compared with August 2025 and up 3% compared with August 2024.
- Year-to-date overnight visits by foreign residents were estimated at 4.7 million, an increase of 11% compared with January to August 2025 (4.2 million) and up 1% compared with 2024 (4.7 million).
- Foreign visitors who departed Ireland in August 2026 stayed a total of 6.6 million nights in the country, down 2% on both August 2025 and August 2024.
- The average length of stay for foreign resident overnight visitors was 8.3 nights, down from 8.6 nights in August 2025.
- Visitors from Great Britain (36%) accounted for the largest share, compared with Continental Europe (34%), North America (25%), and the Rest of the World (5%).
- In August 2026, 51% of overnight foreign visitors indicated that the main purpose of their trip was for Holidays, Leisure & Recreation, 33% said it was for visiting Friends & Relatives, and 8% of trips were for Business reasons.
- Expenditure by foreign visitors in August 2026 was estimated at €729 million, down 2% compared with August 2025 (€744 million), and a decrease of 11% compared with August 2024 (€820 million).
Commenting on the release, Edward Duffy, Statistician in the Tourism and Travel Division, said:
“The survey results show that almost 789,000 foreign resident visitors completed a trip to Ireland in August 2026, an increase of 2% compared with August 2025 and up 3% compared with August 2024. The number of nights spent in Ireland by foreign visitors in August was just less than 6.6 million nights, down 2% when compared with both August 2025 and August 2024. Year-to-date overnight visits by foreign residents were estimated at 4.7 million, an increase of 11% compared with January to August 2025 (4.2 million) and up 1% compared with 2024 (4.7 million).
In August 2026, the greatest number of visitors came from Great Britain (36%), followed by Continental Europe (34%), North America (25%), and the Rest of the World (5%). Visitor numbers from Continental Europe (+9%) and Great Britain (+1%) rose in August 2026 when compared with August 2025, while visitors from North America (-3%) and the Rest of the World fell (-6%). The leading purpose for travel to Ireland in August 2026 was for Holidays, Leisure & Recreation (51%), followed by Visiting Friends & Relatives (33%), and Business trips (8%).
The visitors’ expenditure in Ireland (excluding fares) was €729 million in August 2026. Visitors from North America accounted for €262 million (36%), Continental Europe for €262 million (36%), Great Britain for €148 million (20%), and visitors from the Rest of the World for €57 million (8%). Taken together, this represented a decrease of 2% when compared with August 2025, and down 11% when compared with August 2024.”
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