Ireland welcomed 429,800 overseas visitors in January 2026, up 27 per cent year-on-year, according to the Central Statistics Office’s latest Passenger Survey. Visitor spending hit €287 million, a 34 per cent jump on 2025, even though volumes remain 5 per cent below pre-pandemic 2024 levels. (cso.ie)
Great Britain remained the top source market, delivering 43 per cent of arrivals, followed by continental Europe (36 %) and North America (14 %). Business trips accounted for 18 per cent of all visits—an encouraging sign for companies that rely on face-to-face meetings and project work. The average stay edged down to 8.3 nights.
January traditionally skews towards friends-and-relatives travel, but the CSO noted solid gains across every purpose segment. Notably, visitor nights rose in step with volumes, suggesting occupancy improvements for hotels outside the peak season.
![Inbound tourism rebounds 27 % in January—business travel share holds at 18 %]()
Whether you’re a leisure traveler organizing a family gathering or an HR manager dispatching staff on urgent assignments, VisaHQ can simplify the Irish visa process. The service provides step-by-step guidance, real-time status tracking, and bulk-application tools—everything you need to keep travel plans on schedule. Explore the options at https://www.visahq.com/ireland/
For global mobility teams, the data confirm that capacity constraints—especially in Dublin’s tight accommodation market—will persist. Companies planning short-term assignments should secure housing and meeting space early. The surge also reinforces the strategic importance of Dublin Airport as a trans-Atlantic hub; airlines may use the figures to justify capacity increases ahead of the summer schedule.
Tourism industry bodies welcomed the rebound but warned that labour shortages in hospitality and ground handling could impede growth unless work-permit processing is accelerated—a topic now squarely on the Government’s radar amid wider immigration reform. (cso.ie)
Great Britain remained the top source market, delivering 43 per cent of arrivals, followed by continental Europe (36 %) and North America (14 %). Business trips accounted for 18 per cent of all visits—an encouraging sign for companies that rely on face-to-face meetings and project work. The average stay edged down to 8.3 nights.
January traditionally skews towards friends-and-relatives travel, but the CSO noted solid gains across every purpose segment. Notably, visitor nights rose in step with volumes, suggesting occupancy improvements for hotels outside the peak season.
Whether you’re a leisure traveler organizing a family gathering or an HR manager dispatching staff on urgent assignments, VisaHQ can simplify the Irish visa process. The service provides step-by-step guidance, real-time status tracking, and bulk-application tools—everything you need to keep travel plans on schedule. Explore the options at https://www.visahq.com/ireland/
For global mobility teams, the data confirm that capacity constraints—especially in Dublin’s tight accommodation market—will persist. Companies planning short-term assignments should secure housing and meeting space early. The surge also reinforces the strategic importance of Dublin Airport as a trans-Atlantic hub; airlines may use the figures to justify capacity increases ahead of the summer schedule.
Tourism industry bodies welcomed the rebound but warned that labour shortages in hospitality and ground handling could impede growth unless work-permit processing is accelerated—a topic now squarely on the Government’s radar amid wider immigration reform. (cso.ie)
