US & German Tourists Drive Spending Surge During NFL Dublin Weekend

Visa, a world leader in digital payments, today releases new data revealing the uplift in consumer spending in Ireland during the NFL Dublin Game weekend on 28th September.

Official figures from the NFL estimate that the event welcomed over 74,000 fans to the stadium on game day.

The data from Visa, the Official Partner of the NFL Dublin Game, highlights how the global event helped attract international spend from overseas visitors and helped drive economic activity for local businesses.

Key Visa cardholder data during game weekend:

• Spending in Ireland during game weekend grew 3%, compared to the weekend before
• The largest increase in overseas spend during the game weekend came from the USA (24%) and Germany (17%) when compared to the weekend before
• During game weekend, small businesses in Dublin benefitted from a 18% growth in sales when compared to the weekend before
• Physical spending in Dublin, the host city, grew 6% during game weekend compared to the weekend before
• Local businesses saw a welcome boost in game weekend, with growth in spending across restaurants (5%) and entertainment/pubs (8%)

Conor Langford, Ireland Country Manager, Visa said: “The NFL Dublin Game demonstrates the economic potential of hosting global sporting events in Ireland. Our data shows that international visitors and local fans alike contributed to an uplift in spending, with many local businesses benefitting. It’s a clear example of how global moments can connect local businesses to new customers and growth.”