New data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) found that the visitors spent almost ten nights in the country on average in August.
Almost €1 billion was spent on trips to Ireland in August, according to new data released by the CSO.
A total of €996.1 million was spent on trips to Ireland by 737,600 visitors during the month. The findings come amid calls to lift the limits on travel through Dublin Airport.
These visitors stayed an average of 9.9 nights in Ireland, accounting for 7,337,700 nights spent in Ireland during the month. The largest market for visitors was the UK, accounting for 35.2 per cent, followed by the United States (19.3 per cent) and France (7.8 per cent).
The mean cost of a visit was €1,351, comprising €356 on travel costs, €62 on prepayments such as deposits, €428 on accommodation and €505 on day to day expenditure.
Tourism was the primary reason for travel with 47.2 per cent travelling for holiday and leisure and 36.6 per cent to visit friends and relatives, while 11.1 per cent visited Ireland for business purposes.
Hotels proved the most popular places to stay on 40.3 per cent, followed closely by the visitor’s own property or that of friends or relatives on 40.1 per cent. Guest houses accounted for 6.2 per cent while self catering or other forms of rented property were used by 5.2 per cent.
In total, 2,194,300 people departed Ireland on overseas routes during August with the majority, 55 per cent, being Irish residents going abroad, while 11.4 per cent were same day visitors going abroad through Ireland. This latter group comprised Northern Irish residents (5.3 per cent), foreign resident transfer passengers (4.4 per cent) and foreign resident day trip visitors (1.7 per cent).