More overseas visitors came to Ireland in August than a year earlier, but they stayed fewer nights and spent less money while they were here. The dip was driven in part by North America, where visitor numbers slipped 3% year on year, although travelers from the United States and Canada still ranked as Ireland's joint biggest spenders.
Some 788,700 foreign residents completed a trip to Ireland during August 2026, a rise of 2% on August 2025 and 3% above August 2024. Commenting on the release, Edward Duffy, Statistician in the CSO's Tourism and Travel Division, said the survey results show "almost 789,000 foreign resident visitors completed a trip to Ireland in August 2026."
Those visitors stayed just under 6.6 million nights in the country, down 2% in both August 2025 and August 2024. Their expenditure, excluding fares, came to €729 million, a fall of 2% on the €744 million recorded in August 2025 and 11% below the €820 million logged in August 2024. In total, 2,432,100 passengers departed Ireland on overseas routes during the month, up 1% year on year.
Over the first eight months of 2026, overnight visits by foreign residents reached an estimated 4.7 million, an increase of 11% on the same period in 2025 and 1% ahead of 2024.
Where visitors came from
Great Britain supplied the largest share of August arrivals at 36%, ahead of Continental Europe at 34%, North America at 25%, and the Rest of the World at 5%.
The direction of travel varied sharply by market. Duffy noted that numbers from Continental Europe rose 9% and from Great Britain 1% compared with August 2025, "while visitors from North America (-3%) and the Rest of the World fell (-6%)."
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Visitors from North America
The North American share of arrivals also narrowed compared with high summer. In July 2026, visitors from the United States and Canada made up 30% of all arrivals, and their numbers were up 2% year on year, so August marks a reversal for a market that Irish tourism has leaned on heavily through 2026.
Spending tells a more encouraging story. North American visitors accounted for €262 million of the €729 million spent in Ireland in August, or 36% of the total, level with Continental Europe on €262 million and well clear of Great Britain on €148 million, or 20%. Visitors from the Rest of the World accounted for €57 million, or 8%.
Put another way, North Americans made up a quarter of all visitors, but more than a third of all visitor spending, a gap that reflects longer stays and higher daily outlay by transatlantic travelers.
Nights in Ireland
Foreign visitors spent close to 6.6 million nights in Ireland in August. Visitors from continental Europe, meaning European overseas visitors excluding Great Britain, accounted for the largest block of those nights. North America was next, with 1,745,800 nights, or 27% of the total.
The average length of stay for overnight foreign visitors was 8.3 nights, down from 8.6 nights in August 2025, continuing a gradual shortening of trips since 2023.
Reasons for visit
Holidays, leisure, and recreation were the main purpose of travel for 51% of overnight foreign visitors in August, up from 48% in the same month last year. A further 33% said they were visiting friends and relatives, a category that has long carried much of the transatlantic traffic from Irish American families. Business accounted for 8% of trips.
Accommodation
Hotels remained the most common choice, used as the main accommodation by 39% of overnight visitors. Another 37% stayed in their own property or with family and friends, while 8% booked rented or self-catering accommodation.
Expenditure
Total spending of €729 million puts August 2026 behind both of the previous two Augusts, despite the higher headcount. That combination of more visitors, fewer nights, and lower spending points to shorter and cheaper trips rather than a drop in demand for Ireland as a destination.
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