Year-to-date overnight visits by foreign residents were estimated at 5.3 million up 9% on 2025 and up 1% on 2024
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (29 October 2026) published Inbound Tourism September 2026. The Inbound Tourism release is published every month and provides unique and timely insights on visitor trips to Ireland.
Inbound Tourism September 2026 – Key Findings
- Some 590,700 foreign visitors completed a trip to Ireland in September 2026, a decrease of 2% when compared with September 2025 and up 2% compared with September 2024.
- Year-to-date overnight visits by foreign residents were estimated at 5.3 million, an increase of 9% compared with January to September 2025 (4.9 million) and up 1% compared with 2024 (5.2 million).
- Foreign visitors who departed Ireland in September 2026 stayed a total of 4.4 million nights in the country, an increase of 1% on September 2025 and down 3% on September 2024.
- The average length of stay for foreign resident overnight visitors in September 2026 was 7.4 nights, up from 7.1 nights in September 2025.
- Visitors from Great Britain (34%) accounted for the largest share in September 2026, compared with Continental Europe (32%), North America (27%), and the Rest of the World (6%).
- In September 2026, 48% of overnight foreign visitors indicated that the main purpose of their trip was for Holidays, Leisure & Recreation, 28% said it was for visiting Friends & Relatives, and 16% of trips were for Business reasons.
- Expenditure by foreign visitors in September 2026 was estimated at €595 million, up 4% compared with September 2025 (€570 million), and a decrease of 12% compared with September 2024 (€677 million).
Commenting on the release, Edward Duffy, Statistician in the Tourism and Travel Division, said:
“The survey results show that almost 591,000 foreign resident visitors completed a trip to Ireland in September 2026, a decrease of 2% compared with September 2025 and up 2% compared with September 2024. The number of nights spent in Ireland by foreign visitors in September was just less than 4.4 million nights, an increase of 1% when compared with September 2025 and down 3% on September 2024. Year-to-date overnight visits by foreign residents were estimated at 5.3 million, an increase of 9% compared with January to September 2025 (4.9 million) and up 1% compared with 2024 (5.2 million).
In September 2026, the greatest number of visitors came from Great Britain (34%), followed by Continental Europe (32%), North America (27%), and the Rest of the World (6%). Visitor numbers from Continental Europe (+8%) and the Rest of the World (+19%) rose in September 2026 when compared with September 2025, while visitors from North America (-10%) and Great Britain fell (-7%). The leading purpose for travel to Ireland in September 2026 was for Holidays, Leisure & Recreation (48%), followed by Visiting Friends & Relatives (28%), and Business trips (16%).
The visitors’ expenditure in Ireland (excluding fares) was €595 million in September 2026. Visitors from North America accounted for €234 million (39%) of this spend, Continental Europe for €179 million (30%), Great Britain for €126 million (21%), and visitors from the Rest of the World for €56 million (9%). Taken together, this represented an increase of 4% when compared with September 2025 and was down 12% when compared with September 2024.”
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