Ireland’s Central Statistics Office (CSO) has published fresh passenger-survey data showing that 661,500 overseas residents completed a trip to Ireland in May 2026 – an 18 percent increase on the same month last year and 6 percent above pre-pandemic 2024 levels. The figures confirm that visitor spending rose even faster than volumes, climbing 27 percent year-on-year to €608 million.
![Inbound tourism to Ireland jumps 18% in May as business travel rebounds]()
Travel documentation is also back on the agenda: travellers from markets such as India, China or South Africa still need entry visas, and the recent surge means consulates can get congested. VisaHQ’s digital service (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) helps applicants and corporate travel teams navigate the Irish visa process quickly, offering clear checklists and real-time tracking that keep itineraries on track.
While holidays and family visits still dominate the market, accounting for 46 percent and 31 percent of trips respectively, the share of journeys made primarily for business has stabilised at 12 percent. That is a material uptick on the 9 percent recorded in early-2025 and suggests that corporate mobility budgets are being restored after two years of caution. Average length of stay slipped marginally to 7.2 nights but North-American visitors – who spend most per head – continued to drive revenue, generating 40 percent of all inbound expenditure despite comprising just 26 percent of arrivals. For employers, the data signal renewed pressure on Dublin’s already-stretched hotel market this summer. Travel managers may need to book earlier or divert short-term assignees to accommodation outside the capital to avoid spiralling nightly rates. Airlines are also likely to respond with additional capacity on trans-Atlantic routes, opening up more options for relocating staff. The rebound is a welcome boost for the government’s ‘Global Ireland 2026’ strategy, which relies on strong connectivity to attract investment and talent. Tourism chiefs cautioned, however, that the comparative base remains distorted by last year’s air-traffic-control dispute and warned that continued labour shortages at airports could yet temper growth. Multinationals planning incentive trips or large meetings in Q4 2026 should secure slots early and build contingency time into itineraries for potential security-queue delays.
Travel documentation is also back on the agenda: travellers from markets such as India, China or South Africa still need entry visas, and the recent surge means consulates can get congested. VisaHQ’s digital service (https://www.visahq.com/ireland/) helps applicants and corporate travel teams navigate the Irish visa process quickly, offering clear checklists and real-time tracking that keep itineraries on track.
While holidays and family visits still dominate the market, accounting for 46 percent and 31 percent of trips respectively, the share of journeys made primarily for business has stabilised at 12 percent. That is a material uptick on the 9 percent recorded in early-2025 and suggests that corporate mobility budgets are being restored after two years of caution. Average length of stay slipped marginally to 7.2 nights but North-American visitors – who spend most per head – continued to drive revenue, generating 40 percent of all inbound expenditure despite comprising just 26 percent of arrivals. For employers, the data signal renewed pressure on Dublin’s already-stretched hotel market this summer. Travel managers may need to book earlier or divert short-term assignees to accommodation outside the capital to avoid spiralling nightly rates. Airlines are also likely to respond with additional capacity on trans-Atlantic routes, opening up more options for relocating staff. The rebound is a welcome boost for the government’s ‘Global Ireland 2026’ strategy, which relies on strong connectivity to attract investment and talent. Tourism chiefs cautioned, however, that the comparative base remains distorted by last year’s air-traffic-control dispute and warned that continued labour shortages at airports could yet temper growth. Multinationals planning incentive trips or large meetings in Q4 2026 should secure slots early and build contingency time into itineraries for potential security-queue delays.
