Key August month shows mixed performance of tourism sector

The Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC) today publishes its latest monthly dashboard which captures CSO and business data for the key tourism month of August.

International visitor numbers for the month were up 1% on the same period last year although expenditure was down 9%. The North American market performed particularly well with the number of visitors from USA and Canada up 21%. Hotel and tourism accommodation occupancy showed no change while the airports had a strong end of the summer.

Commenting on the August data Eoghan O’Mara Walsh, CEO of ITIC, said “August is a key month for the Irish tourism industry. Demand is mixed from key source markets and costs of business continue to squeeze profit margins so Budget 2026 next week is particularly important”.