Irish residents took 2.9 million overnight trips within the State in quarter 1 (Q1) of 2025, reflecting a 16 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2o24. This is according to the Central Statistics Office's (CSO) Household Travel Survey, which measures national tourism. In Q1 2025, the main reason for taking domestic overnight trips was to visit friends or relatives (42 per cent), followed by holiday purposes (36 per cent). Meanwhile, travel for business purposes made up seven per cent of total domestic overnight trips. The most popular region visited by Irish residents on overnight trips in Q1 2025 was the Southern region (Clare, Tipperary, Limerick, Waterford, Kilkenny, Carlow, Wexford, Cork, and Kerry), accounting for 1 million trips. On the other hand, the Northern and Western region (Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan, Galway, Mayo, and Roscommon) had the least number of domestic overnight trips (0.8 million trips). Estimated spending by Irish residents on these overnight trips was €2.2 billion, an increase of six per cent compared with €2.1 billion in the same quarter in 2024. Additionally, the number of nights spent on the trips was 13.8 million, an increase of six per cent versus Q1 2024, with an average length of stay of 4.7 nights. The number of domestic trips where a hotel was the main accommodation type saw an increase from 1 million trips in Q1 2024 to 1.2 million trips in Q1 2025.

Accommodation Trends: Friends, Hotels Lead

Commenting on the release, statistician in the tourism and travel division, Aaron Costello, said: “The figures provide information on domestic and outbound travel by Irish residents in the months of January, February and March (Q1) 2025. "The number of nights spent on domestic overnight trips taken in Q1 2025 was 10 per cent lower than in the same period in 2024. "In Q1 2025, friends or relatives were the main type of accommodation used in 43 per cent of domestic trips, closely followed by hotels (42 per cent). Self-catering or rented properties were reported as the main type of accommodation in five per cent of domestic trips." Eva Osborne For the latest Waterford News and Sport, tune into WLR News on the hour and download the WLR App for news on demand.