IRELAND saw a small bump in international tourists in August, aided by major events like the Oasis concerts and an American NFL game.
But the industry continues to grapple with falling tourist spending and increasing costs, raising alarms ahead of Budget 2026.
According to new data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), 772,800 foreign tourists visited Ireland in August, marking a 1% increase compared to the same month in 2024.
While this represents the first year-on-year growth in monthly tourist arrivals in a year, the average spend per visitor was down over 9% to €743.7 million, excluding fares.
Between January and August, total overseas visitor numbers reached 4.2 million, down 9% compared to the same period last year.
Meanwhile, average visitor spending has dropped by 4% annually, now standing at €1,170 per trip.
August’s slight recovery in tourism figures was attributed in part to high-profile events, such as the Oasis reunion concerts at Croke Park, which drew an estimated 160,000 attendees, many from overseas.
Also, the College Football Classic at Aviva Stadium between Kansas State and Iowa State universities, which reportedly attracted 24,000 international fans.
The average length of stay in August was 8.6 nights, nearly unchanged from 2024 but down from 9.9 nights in August 2023.
The Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) and the Association of Visitor Experiences and Attractions (AVEA) have both issued urgent pleas for policy intervention in Budget 2026, which is expected next week.
“Despite hopes for a reversal during the peak summer months, the situation has continued to deteriorate,” said Paul Gallagher, IHF CEO.
“Tourism businesses across Ireland are now operating under unsustainable cost pressures.”
The AVEA echoed these concerns, citing staffing shortages, rising operational costs, and weak domestic demand outside of major cities.
Their Summer Snapshot survey reported 19.2 million visitors to attractions in 2024, still well below pre-pandemic levels of 23 million in 2019.
Two-thirds of member attractions reported either flat or falling visitor numbers this year.
AVEA CEO Catherine Flanagan highlighted that staff costs now account for 52% of operational expenses, while ticket sales only make up 46% of revenue.
“Our members are operating on razor-thin margins,” she said.
“The Government must offer meaningful support to SMEs and commit to a return to the 9% VAT rate by January 2026.”
Both AVEA and IHF have laid out key policy requests, including immediate cost-of-business support for tourism SMEs, a reduction in VAT on food-related services and admissions, increased investment in Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland and the removal of the passenger cap at Dublin Airport.
Minister for Tourism Peter Burke is expected to release a new tourism policy in the coming months.
Industry leaders hope it will align with their calls for stronger integration of tourism into national enterprise and employment strategies.
“Visitor attractions are a vital part of Ireland’s tourism ecosystem,” said Flanagan.
“They support 6,000 jobs, sustain regional economies, and deliver memorable experiences. Ensuring their survival is critical to Ireland’s global tourism appeal.”