Tourism Ireland comments on overseas tourism for January-September and the rest of 2026

CSO figures released today confirm that Ireland welcomed almost 5.3 million overseas visitors for the period January to September 2026, up +9% on the same nine-month period in 2025. They are reported to have spent €4.6 billion, up +11% on January to September 2025. For the month of September, the CSO reports 590,700 overseas visitors, a slowdown of -2% on September 2025; however overseas visitors are reported to have spent €595 million in September, +4% on visitor spend in September 2025.

The nine-month period of January to September typically amounts to around 76% of total overseas visitor spend for the year. It is positive to see growth in visitor spend from all our main market areas year to date: +17% from Mainland Europe, +11% from Great Britain, +8% from North America and +3% from the rest of the world.  

Looking at data published by the US Trade Department about travelling US citizens, there is some emerging evidence of a broad-based slowdown in outbound travel from this market. Ireland, though it continues to punch above its weight relative to some other destinations, is not immune. CSO results published for September 2026 as a standalone month showed softer visitor trends from North America when compared to 2025 (albeit Ireland hosted a landmark NFL game during September last year, which may also influence the comparison).

Tourism Ireland is stimulating tourism demand this autumn. The organisation welcomed the NBC TODAY show from the US earlier in October, autumn and Home of Halloween campaigns are live, supporting off-season demand and bookings. It is an important time to remain top of mind in this valuable tourism market. 

Tourism Ireland continues to focus on diverse markets and welcomes balanced growth from market regions this year. The organisation’s European strategy has been activated, with campaigns illustrating easy connectivity and year-round breaks to ‘plus one’ more location, attraction or region – playing to the insight that Europeans see the island of Ireland as a second or third break, where ease of access and on-island travel matters. 

Great Britain year to date has provided the highest number of overseas visitors (almost 2 million); it is positive to see strength in demand from Britain, as these are visitors who are twice as likely to return to Ireland as visitors from other markets. Looking to the future, Tourism Ireland is also highlighting air connectivity from China, including the China Eastern Airlines flight from Shanghai to Dublin, launched this summer.

Alice Mansergh, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, said: “Year to date, January to September 2026, we have seen 5.3 million overseas visitors bringing €4.6 billion in spend to Ireland, marking an increase in both visitors and spend relative to the same nine-month period of 2025. Notwithstanding this trend, we know there are mixed experiences of tourism performance on the ground. There was some softening in September from North America and there are headwinds in the wake of the conflict in the Middle East, as jet fuel pricing influences air fares and connectivity, as well as consumers' cost of living. 

“We know there is global uncertainty right now, with consumers seeking greater reassurance. Macro-economic volatility around oil, gas and jet fuel pricing will affect 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 between now and year end.

“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.

“In October, we welcomed NBC's TODAY show, the most-watched morning TV programme in the US, who broadcast footage from across the island of Ireland, bringing our landscapes and experiences to millions, to inspire future travel. Our Home of Halloween campaign has been viewed around the world, with documentaries shining a spotlight on our world-famous festivals and the origins of Samhain. Next week, around 80 tourism SMEs from around the island of Ireland will join Tourism Ireland at World Travel Market, the largest B2B event in the global travel and tourism calendar – teeing up partnerships and our promotional drive overseas for 2027.” 

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

• 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.
• 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.
• Home of Halloween campaign: as seasons change and with autumn travel now in focus, Tourism Ireland has been promoting 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 has been running during September and October – driving global awareness, consideration and demand for travel. Last year, through co-operative marketing with booking platforms focused on Home of Halloween, Tourism Ireland generated €50 million in incremental inbound bookings; Tourism Ireland has been partnering with leading online travel platforms once again this year, to drive booked trips and incremental visitor spend. New for this year is a Halloween travelogue, called Samhain – The Birth of Halloween, co-produced by Tourism Ireland and fronted by Wexford tenor Michael Londra, airing in the US on PBS and Create TV, showcasing Ireland’s Halloween story to a potential audience of millions.  
• Broadcast TV and streaming shows: TV and streaming shows co-produced by Tourism Ireland are airing to millions of viewers around the world this year. For example, this autumn, a new two-part travel series fronted by Danish-British broadcaster, author and comedian Sandi Toksvig aired on Channel 4. Called Sandi’s Ireland: A Literary Journey, the series saw Sandi follow in the footsteps of some of our literary greats, exploring the landscapes, places and people that have inspired some of our greatest writers, poets and storytellers. 
• Europe ‘Plus One’ campaigns: campaigns have been running in European markets, to encourage off-season travel, highlighting regional gateways and itineraries, from cities to ‘plus one’ more destination, to make a trip all the more memorable and worth choosing.
• Winter Breaks: Tourism Ireland activity will stimulate travel for the pre-Christmas festive season and the ‘wellness’ centred January period.
• Culinary focus: With over 70% of potential visitors considering food when choosing a holiday destination, Tourism Ireland is highlighting the exceptional food and drink available right across the island of Ireland. For example, in Italy, two special Ireland episodes of a popular culinary travel show called L’ingrediente perfetto – A tu per tu (meaning: ‘The Perfect Ingredient – Face to Face’) – which were co-produced by Tourism Ireland – aired on the TV station La7 this autumn. 
• Other new focus areas for 2026 include activity tourism, year-round reasons to travel, as well as inspiration to explore from gateway cities to regions.
• Connectivity marketing: co-operative 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. 
• Spotlight for tourism SMEs: throughout 2026, Tourism Ireland is creating 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. Next week, as Tourism Ireland prepares for 2027, the organisation will mount a significant presence at World Travel Market (WTM) – joined by around 75 tourism companies from right around the island of Ireland. WTM is the largest B2B event in the global travel and tourism calendar and marks the beginning of Ireland’s promotional drive overseas for 2027. Other upcoming B2B platforms include Tourism Ireland’s sales mission to Australia and New Zealand, as well as ILTM (International Luxury Travel Market) in Cannes.
• Business Events: Tourism Ireland’s goal is to enable 7,500 commercial Business Events meetings in 2026 – connecting tourism operators from the island of Ireland with overseas buyers to grow Business Events and support businesses across the island. Upcoming events include Tourism Ireland’s annual ‘Ireland Meets the West End’ in London and IBTM World in Barcelona.