CSO: Visitor numbers dropped 25% in Jan and 30% in Feb

[watty]

Visitor numbers in February sink 30% on last year - CSO

The number of visitors coming to Ireland in February of this year sank by 30% compared to the same time last year, new figures from Central Statistics Office show.  The CSO said today that 304,300 foreign visitors completed a trip to Ireland last month, down from 433,300 in February of last year.  Visitor numbers in January also saw a big drop, falling by 25% to 338,900 from 451,900 in January of last year.

The visitors who came here last month spent a total of 1.8 million nights, a drop of 33% compared with the same month in 2024.  Their average length of stay was 5.9 nights, down from an average of 6.2 nights in February 2024.  Today's CSO figures also show that the visitors spent €195.6m on their trips, a decrease of 31% compared with February 2024.  The average cost of their trips, excluding fares in February 2025 was €643, down from €655 in February of last year.

The CSO said the largest contingent of visitors came from Great Britain (49%), and the second largest came from the US (10%).  The most frequent reason for travelling to Ireland was to visit family or friends (37%), it added.

Yikes, that's a big kick to the balls if a big part of your customers are tourists    Doesn't bode well for the summer either, I guess.  Politicians in both countries seem determined to wreck their economies so people will be less likely to travel?

Maybe Ryanair will run a few promos and bring the numbers up a bit?  You used to see town full of, say, Italians one weekend and French the next.  And it was all because Ryanair would run a flash sale of flights in that country for a tenner or whatever.

[watty]

Would he do a 'Leo' and give us free money, esp if the tourist market disappears?    Get your prayer beads and rosary beads out and start praying, lads!

Protecting Irish jobs a priority in trade war - Taoiseach

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said the Government's "over-arching priority" is to protect Irish jobs amid concerns US President Donald Trump's incoming tariff plans could see pharmaceutical and other firms reduce their presence in Ireland.

RTE got a quote from Paschal as well but it's a typical say-nothing response...

Speaking on RTÉ's Prime Time, Mr Donohoe said the Government is preparing for "real and significant" difficulties if Mr Trump follows through on threats to impose tariffs on drug imports, including those from Ireland.  "I want to underline the scale of the change that we might have to deal with, the various significant and real difficulties that could present for our economy," the minister said.  He said the Government is preparing for serious disruption - but expressed confidence that Ireland is well equipped to meet the challenge.  "I believe that collectively, we will be able to rise to the test. I'm not going to deny for a moment, there will be challenges. It's going to be so difficult, but that's where our focus and our work will now begin," he added.

[Octavia1]

Would he do a 'Leo' and give us free money, esp if the tourist market disappears?    Get your prayer beads and rosary beads out and start praying, lads!

Protecting Irish jobs a priority in trade war - Taoiseach

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said the Government's "over-arching priority" is to protect Irish jobs amid concerns US President Donald Trump's incoming tariff plans could see pharmaceutical and other firms reduce their presence in Ireland.

RTE got a quote from Paschal as well but it's a typical say-nothing response...

Speaking on RTÉ's Prime Time, Mr Donohoe said the Government is preparing for "real and significant" difficulties if Mr Trump follows through on threats to impose tariffs on drug imports, including those from Ireland.  "I want to underline the scale of the change that we might have to deal with, the various significant and real difficulties that could present for our economy," the minister said.  He said the Government is preparing for serious disruption - but expressed confidence that Ireland is well equipped to meet the challenge.  "I believe that collectively, we will be able to rise to the test. I'm not going to deny for a moment, there will be challenges. It's going to be so difficult, but that's where our focus and our work will now begin," he added.

Temporary Trump bomb recession ?  .... ther shittin themselves in yanksville .....nobody spending or travelling .... stocks gone  south ....
2nd April big day .... if Trump doesn't
Back off  on tariffs at some point  he's riskin
the economy...his mo is always to cause fear" im the boss " sort o ting .  maybe him an his mates  wants to  a crash to buy  basement prices bargains ....?
Is trump
Usin the economy as his own casino for his an his mates benefit ?
Possible but I doubt it ....
I rekon heel back off eventually an wen the fed drops interest rates heel bring in the tax cuts .... then tings will
Fly again .... o course havin said all that .... i hanvnt a bleedin clue wat I'm talkin bout
 

[John m]

Occi the Dystopia is like this I posted a while ago .Putin takes Ukraine .Trump takes Panama if no reaction from rest of World he takes Greenland .Putin stands by does nothing he got Ukraine .China takes Taiwan after it is Destroyed by America .Europe can fuck off Soft Cunts .The Jews control the Money .Welcome to armageddon meet the Four Horsemen .

Israel takes Palastine and builds alternative Suez Canal thats what the invasion of Palastine is really about same with Ukrainr Belt and road and alternative Trade Routes .

Have you noticed Trump trying to Bring Saudi arabia into the real world .Peace talkis in Arabia a bit like Holy Communions in a Brothel  .

[John m]

Nobody traveling anywhere .Looked for holiday for 1 quoted around 700 .Got 1 bed Studio in Salou for 7 nights flights and transfers for 320 .Same trip four weeks ago was 599 plus bag and transfers .

[Cool Boola]

Sounds like some bargin John.Do ya think there might be some hidden catches like extra costs or poor views or no food?

[John m]

Sounds like some bargin John.Do ya think there might be some hidden catches like extra costs or poor views or no food?

Nobody traveling .Brits now need a visa to travel in EU .Think a lot of people keeping their powder dry until Donny does what Donny Does .I noticed less smell of Skunk off passengers not even as many drunk passengers .Things are slowing down a lot .Went the Deadmans for lunch on Tuesday I was the only one eating at about 12.45 .

[Cool Boola]

Yeah…looks like big changes are a coming?

[Rat Catcher]

The knock on effect is just as bad for those who mightn't deal directly with tourists, Watty. January/February takings per hour for me are significantly down on last year although I did switch to largely passive working mid Feb to increase takings so I'm not really comparing like with like for the second half of Feb.

[taxi1990]

Nobody traveling anywhere .Looked for holiday for 1 quoted around 700 .Got 1 bed Studio in Salou for 7 nights flights and transfers for 320 .Same trip four weeks ago was 599 plus bag and transfers .

I was looking at Athens the other day, seems very reasonable accommodation prices there compared to a lot of Europe.

295 with air lingus return flights. Ryan airs flight times didn't suit.

[silverbullet]

We're off to Tenerife for a week. Moan amongst yourselves until I get back.

Any of ye smokers?

[Rat Catcher]

I was in New York for the last few days... Flights over and back were less than 32% full. They were virtually giving away upgrades from working class to business class at less than €/$700/seat.

[Rat Catcher]

We're off to Tenerife for a week. Moan amongst yourselves until I get back.

Any of ye smokers?

Bought four cartons of Sheriff Blue 100s in JFK @ 2 cartons for $25 after a bloke buying some told me they're surprisingly good quality! As I'm off to Barcelona to stock up next week I figured I might as well take a chance... worst case scenario, I could knock 'em out in the market for €40/carton! Anywaysanall, your man wasn't wrong, they're actually a nice smooth smoke for $1.25/pack.

DAP had Mayfair Superkings for €43/carton on the way out. Not sure why, they're usually similar to Superkings/JPS in price i.e. closer to €70/carton @ Irish "duty free" prices so I had a couple of cartons of those too!

[silverbullet]

We're off to Tenerife for a week. Moan amongst yourselves until I get back.

Any of ye smokers?

Bought four cartons of Sheriff Blue 100s in JFK @ 2 cartons for $25 after a bloke buying some told me they're surprisingly good quality! As I'm off to Barcelona to stock up next week I figured I might as well take a chance... worst case scenario, I could knock 'em out in the market for €40/carton! Anywaysanall, your man wasn't wrong, they're actually a nice smooth smoke for $1.25/pack.

DAP had Mayfair Superkings for €43/carton on the way out. Not sure why, they're usually similar to Superkings/JPS in price i.e. closer to €70/carton @ Irish "duty free" prices so I had a couple of cartons of those too!

I smoked for the week [Silk cut Purple] @ 460 0n the plane. Camel Blue were €4.50 in the local shops when I was caught without. all the Indian stores sell knock-offs and sore throats. F**k that.

Fortunately, I knocked off the smoking the day I returned.

We never bothered with Dr Green Spot while  we were there, perhaps next time.

[Rat Catcher]

"Your Phormacist can help you quit smoking" is one health warning I observed on a pack one of the men in the bar had purchased in the market. €40/carton but I'd sooner roll my own than risk where they might be made. In fact, I bought some tobacco in Barcelona last week to have that option to bridge any gap between the smokes running low and cheap flights being available. - €6.50/pouch in Spain -vs- €26.50 here.