Half of tourist businesses along the west coast have had a worse 2025 so far compared to last year.
The latest Fáilte Ireland barometer shows 54 per cent of businesses along the Wild Atlantic Way reported lower turnovers for the first six months of 2025, as compared to the same period last year.
A quarter reported an improved take at the till, while 21 per cent report the same as 2024.
CSO figures released this week show inbound tourism to Ireland is down a noticeable10 per cent since last year, while tourist spending in May is down a substantial 21 per cent, to €477 million, compared to May 2024.
Perhaps most worryingly, a survey of almost 800 tourist businesses show almost half of those questioned in the west – 48 per cent – expect their volume of business to continue downwards during the second half of the year.
This should be ringing alarm bells in government, says Galway city councillor Níall McNelis, who is calling on Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, to increase support to Failte Ireland, but also to extensively fund local authorities which are best placed to drive local tourism products.
“There is action the Minister must take [via] Fáilte Ireland so that we can grow and strengthen our domestic tourism. That means real investment in home holidays, sustainable tourism, and creative events that bring people to every corner of the country. It also means a proper national strategy that works in partnership with communities and the industry,” the Labour Party’s former Tourism spokesperson said.
“In addition, our local authorities should be properly supported to build strong local tourism plans. That means looking at accommodation availability, signage, heritage attractions, and the potential of arts, sports and eco-tourism. We need a full review of what’s working, and what’s not, and a minister willing to act on it.”
Almost 561,000 foreign visitors travelled to the Republic in May, with most (35 per cent ) from Britain, followed by 25 per cent from the USA.
The average length of stay for visitors was 7.3 nights, up from a 7.2 night average in May 2024, and down from 7.8 nights in May 2023. Visitors stayed a total of 4.1 million nights in the State, a drop of 8 per cent compared with May 2024, and down 9 per cent when compared with May 2023.
