Tourism Ireland comments on overseas tourism for January-June 2026 and the year ahead

CSO figures released today confirm that Ireland welcomed over 3.2 million overseas visitors for the period January to June 2026, up +15% on the same six-month period in 2025. They are reported to have spent €2.6 billion in the first half of this year, up +18% on H1 2025. 

The six-month period of January to June typically amounts to around 41% of total overseas visitor spend for the year. It is positive to see revenue growth in H1 of +26% from Mainland Europe, +17% from Great Britain, +13% from North America and +17% from the rest of the world. This strong performance relative to 2025 puts visitor numbers on par with 2024, which was a record year for visitor spend.

However, despite this positive start to 2026, there are some headwinds in the tourism sector, with macro-economic volatility and cost pressures affecting both businesses and consumers. 

Alice Mansergh, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, said: “It is positive to see the growth in overseas tourism for the first half of 2026, with increases in visitor numbers and spend from Great Britain, North America, Mainland Europe and further afield. 

“We know there is global uncertainty right now, with consumers seeking greater reassurance. Macro-economic volatility around oil, gas and jet fuel pricing is affecting both businesses and consumers. The good news is that the desire to travel remains strong and we know from our latest consumer research that 66% of potential overseas visitors are prioritising spend on holidays as ‘worth it’, so the opportunity is there to win these visitors to the island of Ireland.

“There are 46,000 tourism businesses in Ireland, >50,000 island wide, and 6 out of 10 euros in the tourism economy are brought in by overseas visitors specifically.  Tourism Ireland is working closely with air and sea carriers, tour operators, online travel platforms, our travel trade partners in overseas markets and industry partners at home, to continue to generate demand, win visitors and keep our connections to the world strong.”

Tourism Ireland activity to generate demand is live across 15+ overseas markets and will continue to year end. Highlights include:

• Co-operative marketing campaigns with airlines and ferry companies are under way, to drive visitor demand for our strategic air and sea routes, delivering a 15:1 return on investment in terms of visitor spend generated on the ground from trips won. 
• Regarding competitiveness, Tourism Ireland is focusing on audiences with funds to travel, showcasing authentic experiences and once-in-a-lifetime trips that make Ireland ‘worth it’ and aspirational to our audience, at our price point.
• Tourism Ireland continues to focus on diverse markets e.g., the organisation is rolling out a new strategy in Mainland Europe and highlighting air routes from China, including the recently launched China Eastern Airways flight from Shanghai to Dublin.  
• Tourism Ireland will promote Halloween once again this year in key overseas markets as an iconic reason to visit our island in the autumn. Its Home of Halloween campaign will run from August through to the end of October – driving global awareness, consideration and demand for travel. 
• Throughout 2026, Tourism Ireland will create a global spotlight for over 1,000 tourism SMEs, enabling 35,000 commercial meetings between local industry and overseas trade who bring visitors at scale – delivering €300 million in business pipeline. 
• Broadcast TV and streaming shows co-produced by Tourism Ireland are airing to millions of viewers around the world this year, including travel series starring Ronan Keating, Martin and Roman Kemp, Dermot O’Leary and Fred Sirieix. 
• New focus areas include culinary tourism, activity tourism, year-round reasons to travel, as well as inspiration to explore from gateway cities to regions.
• Tourism Ireland is promoting the island of Ireland through advertising, publicity, digital, social and Gen AI, reaching potential visitors in the channels where they research holidays today.