Two reports present contrasting pictures of Irish tourism in 2026.
Fáilte Ireland’s business sentiment survey reveals falling turnover and widespread concern among operators, while official Central Statistics Office figures show growth in foreign visitors and expenditure.
The reports are not necessarily contradictory. They measure different aspects of tourism and suggest that national growth is not reaching every business, sector or region equally.
First report: Tourism operators report declining turnover
Fáilte Ireland surveyed 643 tourism businesses about trading conditions in the year to May. Only 24% reported increased revenue compared with 2025, while 25 per cent recorded no change and 51 per cent experienced a decrease.
B&Bs, activity providers, pubs and bars were among the weakest-performing sectors. Businesses along the Wild Atlantic Way also reported particularly difficult conditions.
Dublin performed more strongly. In the capital, 38% of businesses reported increased revenue and the same proportion recorded a decline. Nationally, however, 43% expected revenue to fall during the remainder of 2026, compared with 29% anticipating growth.
Approximately three-quarters of operators said the Middle East conflict had affected their businesses. Among those reporting an impact, 74% cited higher energy costs, 55% experienced other cost increases and 53% were affected by disruption associated with April’s fuel protests.
Half reported increased cancellations, while 45% said bookings had declined. Hotels also observed that longer leisure stays were becoming less common.
Businesses are responding cautiously. Some 55% were seeking cost reductions, one-third planned to absorb increased expenses and another third intended to target domestic holidaymakers. That strategy may prove challenging because many operators believe Irish consumers have less disposable income.
Fáilte Ireland stressed that the findings represent operators’ opinions rather than verified financial results. Sentiment may have been influenced by strong expectations following 2025, persistent cost pressures and a succession of negative international developments.
Hidden Heartlands and the Tipperary position.
Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands broadly reflected the national difficulties. In that region, 20% of respondents reported increased revenue, 30 per cent recorded no change and 50 % experienced a decline.
Looking ahead, 28% of Hidden Heartlands businesses expected revenue to increase during the remainder of 2026, while 26% anticipated no change and 46% expected a decrease.
This result was slightly better than the Wild Atlantic Way, where 56% reported falling revenue to date and 48% expected a decline during the remainder of the year. Nevertheless, the Hidden Heartlands figures indicate considerable pressure on inland and rural tourism businesses.
These regional findings cannot be treated as figures for Tipperary or Thurles. Parts of Tipperary, particularly around Lough Derg, are promoted through Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, but other parts belong to Ireland’s Ancient East. Fáilte Ireland’s consumer tourism site identifies Thurles specifically as part of Ireland’s Ancient East. Neither region’s results provide a reliable stand-alone measurement of tourism performance in the town.
The survey contains no county or town-level breakdown. It therefore shows the wider environment in which Tipperary businesses are operating, rather than proving that local turnover followed the regional pattern.
Second report: Foreign visitors and expenditure increase
The CSO recorded 676,300 completed foreign-resident visits in July 2026. This was 5% above July 2025 and 3% higher than in July 2024.
Approximately 3.9 million foreign visits were completed between January and July; 13% more than during the equivalent period of 2025, although only 0.4 per cent above 2024.
Visitors spent 5.2 million nights in Ireland during July, an annual increase of 2%. Average stays nevertheless declined from 7.9 to 7.6 nights. This shortening of visits may help explain why some accommodation, hospitality and activity businesses did not experience growth matching the increase in arrivals.
Great Britain and Continental Europe each supplied 32% of visitors, while North America accounted for 30%. Half travelled for holidays and leisure, 29% visited friends or relatives and 11% came for business.
Foreign visitors spent an estimated €681 million, excluding fares, 9% more than in July 2025. North Americans contributed €300 million, or 44% of the total, demonstrating the market’s disproportionate economic importance.
All CSO figures are national and do not identify how many visitors travelled to Tipperary or Thurles, or how much they spent there.
Growth is real but uneven.
Higher visitor numbers and national expenditure do not guarantee increased revenue for every operator. Spending may be concentrated in Dublin, hotels and major attractions, while smaller rural businesses receive a limited share. Some 33% of July visitors stayed with family or in their own property, further restricting benefits for commercial accommodation.
Shorter stays and rising energy, fuel, payroll and supply costs can also weaken margins despite increasing visitor expenditure.
The combined evidence therefore points to uneven growth; Ireland is attracting more foreign visitors, but regional operators remain under pressure. For Tipperary and Thurles, the national and regional findings provide important context, but more detailed local data would be required to establish their actual tourism performance.
However, Thurles Tourist Office’s promotion of local nail bars, coffee shops and clothing stores as a means of attracting international visitors must be regarded as out of touch with the realities of attracting foreign tourism.
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