Irish Tourism Quarterly Economic Update October 2026  

Overview

While the global economy has weathered the shock of the war in the Middle East better than initially feared, ongoing hostilities continue to shape the outlook. Headline tourism indicators point to a solid year, so far, for Irish tourism in 2026. Yet still, this solid performance may feel underwhelming to some businesses following a period of strong year-on-year growth.

Trends

1. Overseas revenue, trips and overnights up across all key markets year-to-date

Overseas revenue grew across all main markets between January - August, as did trips to Ireland. Nights spent in Ireland also increased year-on-year, up +12% from Mainland Europe, +8% from Great Britain and +6% from North America. However, average length of stay fell slightly.

2. Domestic tourism growing in value and volume terms

Irish residents took 7.3 million overnight trips in H1 2026, up +4%. Revenue grew +8% and nights rose +7%. Revenue grew at double the rate of trips. This shows people are spending more per trip. Irish residents also spent 3% fewer nights abroad.

3. Hotel occupancy largely steady despite capacity growth

Hotel room occupancy was almost unchanged at +1% year-on-year between January - August. This is notable because capacity grew by almost 4% through a combination of returning stock previously under State contract and new builds. Average daily rates rose broadly in line with inflation.

4. Accommodation pipeline building momentum

About 1,640 bed places were completed year-to-date August 2026 across hotels, aparthotels and hostels. Construction began on a further 1,020. Planning permissions were granted for around 3,230 bed places. Applications were submitted for 2,940 more. About 3,880 bed places are expected to complete by December 2026. A further 6,540 are indicated for 2027.

5. Air access up for the peak season

Air access for the Q3 peak season is +2% on Q3 2025, with 7.5 million inbound seats scheduled to Ireland. Growth in seat capacity is seen at all airports bar Cork. Growth in seat capacity among Ireland’s key markets is largely positive for Q3 with the US (+7%), Italy (+7%) and GB (+4%) markets showing the largest increase. However, seats from France and Germany are -5% down on the same period last year.

6. Tourism employment on the rise

The latest CSO estimate of tourism employment, based on administrative data, shows that employee numbers in July 2026 were +1.7% higher than a year earlier. The CSO’s Labour Force Survey, which uses the narrower Accommodation and Food Services measure, showed hours worked increased by 2.1% year on year in Q2, with employment up 4.3% over the same period.

Related supports and next steps

Check current Fáilte Ireland supports before you act. Use available supports to review costs, digital activity, visitor markets, and seasonal plans.