Tourism in Northern Ireland showed signs of recovery in 2025, with overnight trips and visitor spending both rising by 9 per cent compared to the previous year, according to official statistics published today. The figures from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) indicate the sector is rebounding from a sharp downturn in 2024, though domestic visitor numbers remain below levels seen before the slump.
The Annual Tourism Statistics for 2025, released by the Department for the Economy on 21 May 2026, estimate that 5.1 million overnight trips were taken in Northern Ireland last year, generating £1.2 billion in expenditure. While this represents a statistically significant increase from 2024’s 4.7 million trips and £1.1 billion spend, it still falls short of the 5.4 million trips recorded in 2023.
Key Figures at a Glance
The 2025 data reveals a complex picture of recovery across different visitor markets:
- Total overnight trips: 5.1 million (up 9% from 2024)
- Total expenditure: £1.2 billion (up 9% from 2024)
- Total nights stayed: 15.0 million (up 1% from 14.9 million in 2024)
- Domestic market (NI residents): 1.8 million trips (34% of total, up 12% from 2024)
- Great Britain: 1.5 million trips (29% of total, up 4%)
- Republic of Ireland: 1.3 million trips (26% of total, up 15%)
- Outside UK and ROI: 0.6 million trips (11% of total, down 3%)
Uneven Recovery Across Markets
The strongest growth came from the Republic of Ireland market, which bounced back with a 15 per cent increase following declines in 2024. Domestic tourism also showed resilience, growing 12 per cent after a concerning 27 per cent drop the previous year. However, despite this rebound, local residents took just 1.8 million overnight trips in 2025—still well below the 2.1 million recorded in 2023.
Visitors from Great Britain grew by a modest 4 per cent, maintaining their position as the largest external market. Conversely, long-haul visitors from outside the UK and Republic of Ireland fell by 3 per cent, a reversal of fortune after this market grew by 12 per cent in 2024.
Holiday visits drove much of the growth, increasing by 13 per cent to 2.7 million trips and accounting for 53 per cent of all overnight stays. This growth was seen across all markets except long-haul visitors, with the Republic of Ireland showing a remarkable 39 per cent increase in holiday trips.
Methodology and Data Quality
NISRA compiles these statistics using the Northern Ireland Passenger Survey and Continuous Household Survey, integrated with data from the Republic of Ireland’s Central Statistics Office (CSO) to capture cross-border movements. The agency notes that the 2025 figures have been assessed for statistical significance, with the 9 per cent increases in both trips and expenditure representing genuine changes rather than sampling variation.
However, the statistics come with important caveats. The data are not adjusted for inflation, meaning the £1.2 billion expenditure figure may reflect rising prices rather than increased real economic activity. Additionally, the release does not include data on day trips, which accounted for an estimated £703 million in expenditure across 10 million visits in 2024.
Progress Toward the 2035 Vision
The 2025 figures arrive midway through the implementation of the Tourism Vision and Action Plan, launched by former Economy Minister Conor Murphy, which aims to grow overnight visitor expenditure to £2 billion by 2035. The current £1.2 billion figure matches 2023 levels but leaves a significant gap to close over the coming decade.
Notably, while expenditure has returned to 2023 levels, this is being generated by fewer trips (5.1 million versus 5.4 million in 2023), suggesting visitors are spending more per trip but staying for shorter durations. The average length of stay data indicates nights remained broadly stable at 15 million, implying higher daily expenditure.
Questions for Policymakers and Industry
While the headline figures suggest renewed momentum, several questions remain about the sustainability and distribution of this recovery:
- With domestic tourism still 14 per cent below 2023 levels despite the 2025 rebound, what targeted interventions are needed to restore local confidence in staycations?
- The long-haul market (outside UK/ROI) declined by 3 per cent after strong growth in 2024—does this volatility indicate over-reliance on specific markets or external factors such as exchange rates and global economic pressures?
- Given that the data are not inflation-adjusted, does the 9 per cent spending increase represent real economic growth for tourism businesses, or are visitors simply paying higher prices for accommodation and services?
- How will the sector balance the need for significant capacity expansion to reach the £2 billion target with the Minister’s Economic Vision priorities of decarbonisation and regional balance?
- With 77 per cent of tourism businesses operating outside Belfast City Council, will future releases provide detailed regional breakdowns to assess whether growth is evenly distributed?
What to Watch Next
The next quarterly tourism statistics are expected in Autumn 2026, which will provide early indicators of 2026 performance. Industry observers will be watching closely to see whether the Republic of Ireland market maintains its strong growth, whether domestic trips return to 2023 levels, and whether the volatile long-haul sector stabilises. The integration of these statistics with the Minister’s Economic Vision metrics—particularly regarding “Good Jobs” and productivity in the hospitality sector—will also be critical as the sector scales up toward its 2035 targets.