Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has welcomed official statistics showing Northern Ireland’s tourism sector has reversed last year’s sharp decline, with visitor expenditure rising 9% to £1.2 billion in 2025. The figures, published today by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA), reveal approximately 5.1 million overnight trips during the year, though the recovery remains partial with numbers still below record 2023 levels.
The growth has been driven largely by visitors from the Republic of Ireland as part of what the Minister describes as the “All-Ireland economy,” with cross-border trips increasing 15% and associated spending surging nearly a third.
Cross-border surge leads recovery
The statistics reveal stark contrasts across visitor markets. While domestic tourism and some international segments struggled in 2024, Republic of Ireland visitors provided significant momentum for 2025.
NISRA data indicates 1.3 million overnight trips by Republic of Ireland residents in 2025, up from 1.1 million the previous year. The financial impact proved even more pronounced, with spending rising from £243 million to £317 million—a 31% jump.
Dr Archibald said: “These are very welcome statistics for our tourism industry, showing a sector that is growing steadily and demonstrating how vital it is to our economy. As Economy Minister, I have supported the sector and will continue to do so as we work to build on this positive momentum.”
The Minister continued: “The All-Ireland economy is driving tourism growth with the latest NISRA figures showing trips by visitors from the south to the north increased by 15% in 2025. There were 1.3million trips in 2025, compared to 1.1 million in 2024. The money spent by southern visitors increased from £243million in 2024 to £317million last year – an increase of 31%.”
Regional spread and upcoming flagship events
The data indicates broad geographic distribution of tourism benefits, with 70% of overnight trips taken outside Belfast City Council area—a statistic the Minister highlighted as evidence of tourism’s role in regional economic balance.
Dr Archibald said: “Tourism is one of our key successes and a regional economic driver. Visitors who visit here are spending in and supporting our tourism businesses and local communities right across the north.”
Looking ahead to 2026, the Minister pointed to two major cultural events expected to sustain momentum: “With Belfast hosting the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann and Derry celebrating the 40th anniversary of its world-renowned Halloween Festival, we can expect this positive trend to continue.”
The Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann—the world’s largest celebration of Irish traditional music—takes place in Belfast from 2 to 9 August 2026, marking the city’s first time hosting the event. Meanwhile, Derry’s Halloween festival, which attracted around 120,000 visitors in 2025 with 96% hotel occupancy, marks its 40th anniversary this October.
Strategic goals and cross-border branding
The Minister also highlighted County Fermanagh’s inclusion in the Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands regional brand, a cross-border initiative developed by Fáilte Ireland. The licensing agreement, announced in December 2025, allows eligible tourism businesses in Fermanagh to use the brand and feature in Tourism NI marketing campaigns.
Dr Archibald said: “County Fermanagh is now also a key part of the Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands regional brand, a real asset to driving visitor numbers to this beautiful part of the world and delivering real economic benefit for the region.”
The Minister reaffirmed her commitment to the long-term Tourism Vision & Action Plan, which targets exceeding £2 billion in tourism expenditure by 2035. She said: “I meet regularly with the industry to hear at first-hand the opportunities and challenges they face, and I have been hugely impressed with their optimism, drive, and ambition. I am determined to continue to work with the industry to deliver my Tourism Vision & Action Plan which aims to increase tourism expenditure to £2billion by 2035.”
Critical context: a partial recovery
While the 9% growth in visitor numbers and expenditure represents significant turnaround, context remains important. The 2025 figures of 5.1 million overnight trips and £1.2 billion in spending largely match record levels achieved in 2023, following a difficult 2024 that saw a 13% decline in trips and 10% drop in expenditure compared with the previous year.
Recovery has not proven uniform across all markets. While Republic of Ireland visitors increased substantially, trips from outside the UK and Republic of Ireland actually decreased 3% in 2025, falling from 568,000 to 553,000. This suggests that while the all-Ireland market strengthens, Northern Ireland faces ongoing challenges attracting long-haul international visitors—a concern given planned Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) requirements for non-UK and non-Irish visitors arriving via Republic of Ireland ports.
Additionally, domestic tourism (Northern Ireland residents holidaying at home) has recovered but remains below 2023 levels, with 1.8 million trips in 2025 compared with 2.1 million in 2023.
Questions for policymakers and industry
- How will implementation of the Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme for visitors entering via Republic of Ireland ports affect 2026 figures, given that 59% of overseas visitors currently arrive through southern ports?
- With accommodation occupancy rates already high (96% in Derry during Halloween 2025), what specific measures are being taken to increase capacity without compromising quality or local housing availability?
- Given that 2025 growth largely represents a return to 2023 levels rather than expansion, what new markets or segments will drive the additional £800 million in annual expenditure needed to meet the 2035 £2 billion target?
- How is the Department measuring success of “regional balance” beyond the 70% statistic, and what specific economic impact targets have been set for rural areas versus Belfast?
- Will the Fleadh Cheoil and Derry Halloween deliver sustained economic benefits beyond immediate event periods, or will they create temporary spikes that mask underlying seasonal vulnerabilities?
The full NISRA tourism statistics are available via the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency data portal. The next major test for the sector arrives this August with the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, followed by the 40th anniversary Derry Halloween celebrations in October—events providing early indicators of whether 2026 can build upon this recovery or if the sector faces renewed pressures from international competition and domestic cost-of-living constraints.