Ireland Leads EU Tourism Growth with 35.3% Jump in Q1; Data Disputed

Ireland recorded a 35.3 per cent increase in tourist accommodation nights in the first three months of the year compared to last year, the highest jump among EU states, according to Eurostat data. Malta followed with an 11.1 per cent increase. Foreign visitor nights in Ireland rose by 43.3 per cent, while Irish residents' staycation nights increased by 25.1 per cent.

Across the EU, 471.1 million overnight stays were recorded in Q1, a 3.4 per cent rise. Ireland accounted for seven million of these. Spain was the most popular EU destination, with 54.1 million nights, representing one in four foreign visitor nights in the EU. Overall, two-thirds of EU countries saw tourism growth, a shift from 2025's slump attributed to US tariff policies. However, nine countries experienced declines, led by Lithuania with a 12.9 per cent dip.

Paul Gallagher, chief executive of the Irish Hotel Federation (IHF), disputed the Eurostat figures, citing discrepancies with industry data. He noted a similar issue last year when CSO data showed a 15 per cent drop in tourists in March compared to 2024, which hoteliers did not observe. Eurostat advised caution with the Irish figures, acknowledging missing CSO data and the base effect from last year's dip. Gallagher agreed, stating this year is a «correction for last year» and hotels have not seen a «massive increase in overseas visitors».