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Irish Tourism Sector 2019 (Tourism Satellite Account)

Inbound and domestic tourism spend was €10 billion in 2019, frontier series output.

CSO Frontier Series outputs may use new methods which are under development and/or data sources which may be incomplete, for example new administrative data sources. Particular care must be taken when interpreting the statistics in this release. Learn more about CSO Frontier Series outputs

• Key Findings

Expenditure by inbound tourism to Ireland was €7.3 billion in 2019, with overnight visitors accounting for 96% of this total. 

Domestic tourism expenditure by Irish residents was €2.7 billion, with overnight visitors spending 79% of this amount.

In 2019, outbound expenditure on tourism by Irish residents amounted to €8.3 billion, with same-day trips accounting for less than 1% of this total.

The number of full-time equivalent employees working in tourism was estimated to be 284,800 in 2019 and these employees worked in almost 46,000 tourism-related enterprises.

Tourism Direct Gross Value Added (TDGVA) was estimated to be approximately €13.5 billion in 2019 which equalled a total Gross Value Added (GVA) share of 4.4% in the Irish economy.

Statistician's Comment

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (21 July 2023) released Irish Tourism Sector 2019 (Tourism Satellite Account).

A Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) compiles data from many different sources and allows for comparisons between the tourist industries in different countries. This is the first time the CSO has published TSA analysis for Ireland.

Commenting on the release, Brendan Curtin, Statistician in the Tourism and Travel Division, said: “ The figures in this new release published as part of the CSO Frontier Series, provide an overview of tourist activity and the importance of tourism to the Irish economy in 2019. This release uses an internationally recognised framework known as a Tourism Satellite Account (TSA). Using this methodology means data on tourism in Ireland can be compared with other EU countries.

For the EU-27 inbound tourism expenditure was worth €437 billion in 2019. Five countries (Spain, France, Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands) accounted for two-thirds (65%) of this expenditure, while Ireland had a 2% share.

For Ireland overnight trips accounted for almost all expenditure on inbound and outbound tourism trips in 2019 (96% and 99% respectively). Across the EU same day trips accounted for 13% of expenditure on inbound tourism trips and 6% of outbound tourism trips.

The per capita estimate of internal tourism consumption in Ireland was approximately €2,000 per inhabitant in 2019. This compares with an average value of €2,800 per inhabitant across the EU for internal tourism."

Information note

The data for Ireland contained in this release was submitted by the CSO to Eurostat in 2022 as part of a voluntary triennial TSA data collection exercise .  The results should be seen as an initial phase of a process which the CSO will refine and enhance over time as more information becomes available.

The triennial TSA EU data can be referenced in the following publication.

Tourism Satellite Accounts in Europe 2023 edition

Tourism Consumption in 2019

Internal tourism consumption in Ireland in 2019 amounted to €10 billion. This was the sum of inbound tourism expenditure and domestic tourism expenditure (but did not include some other broader components of TSA tourism consumption, such as the imputed rent of holiday homes). Inbound tourism expenditure made up 73% of the total internal tourism consumption (€7.3 billion), while domestic tourism expenditure contributed €2.7 billion to the internal tourism spending in 2019. 

Across the EU in 2019 the percentage of all internal tourism expenditure which came from inbound tourism was 38%. For some countries in 2019 domestic expenditure made up over 80% of all internal tourism consumption (Romania and Germany), while Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Estonia, and Croatia all had domestic expenditure which was less than 20% of the total internal tourism consumption.

For inbound tourism, 96% of the total expenditure was spent by overnight visitors to Ireland (€7.0 billion), while same-day visitors spent less than €300 million in 2019. In comparison, across the EU 87% of total inbound tourism expenditure was attributed to overnight visitors. A similar analysis of domestic tourism reveals that overnight domestic trips accounted for 79% of all domestic tourism expenditure (€2.1 billion) in Ireland, and that Irish residents on same-day visits spent almost €600 million in 2019. Across the EU, overnight domestic trips in 2019 accounted for 69% of all domestic expenditure.

Across the EU the largest share of the total inbound tourism overnight stay expenditure in 2019 (€437 billion) was recorded in Spain (19%), and along with France (15%), Italy (13%) and Germany (11%). These four countries accounted for more than half of all inbound tourism expenditure. In 2019 Ireland had a 2% share of the EU total of inbound tourism overnight stay expenditure.

To measure internal tourism consumption relative to the size of each country, Eurostat generated per capita estimates. On average the value of internal tourism was €2,800 per inhabitant across the EU. Luxembourg (€5,800) and Netherlands (€5,300) had the highest per capita internal tourism consumption, while Hungary, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Latvia, and Romania all had a figure of less than €1,000 per capita. For Ireland, the per capita estimate of internal tourism consumption was approximately €2,000 per inhabitant.

Outbound tourism expenditure (Irish residents travelling abroad) amounted to €8.3 billion in 2019. Almost all (99%) was spent by overnight visitors. This compares with an average of 94% across EU countries in 2019, with Hungary the only country where same-day outbound visits accounted for more than 20% of the total outbound tourism expenditure.

Tourism Contribution to the Economy

The TSA methodology also compiles data from both the supply side and the demand side of tourism within the overall system of National Accounts. This allows a country to determine a measure of Tourism Direct Gross Value Added (TDGVA), which is the component of output from the Irish tourism industries that is driven directly by tourism spend. Essentially it involves estimating all tourist related spending by domestic and foreign visitors within Ireland. TDGVA is calculated by reconciling the supply (the output of tourism industries) with the use (tourist consumption) side of tourism, so that the proportion of the output of the tourism industries that is accounted for by tourism expenditure can be estimated.

The CSO has generated an initial estimate for the TDGVA which calculates that tourism contributed €13.5 billion to the Irish economy in 2019, and this gives a ratio of TDGVA to total Gross Value Added (GVA) in the economy of 4.4%. Across the EU the average ratio was estimated at 4.5% in the same year. Croatia (11.3%) recorded the largest TDGVA ratio in 2019, followed by Portugal (8.1%) and Spain (6.9%). The lowest TDGVA ratio was found in Luxembourg (1.2%) and Belgium (1.8%).

The main tourism industry contributors to TDGVA in 2019 in Ireland were accommodation services for visitors and food and beverage serving activities (€5.1 billion).

Tourism Employment in 2019

As part of the TSA methodology certain specified industries are considered to be involved in tourism characteristic activities (for example accommodation services and passenger transport). Employment in these sectors can then be defined as tourism characteristic industry employment. But within these sectors not all employment may be directly connected to tourism (such as serving local customers at a restaurant). Therefore, the TSA records both tourist industry employment and the more specific concept of tourism specific employment.

In 2019, the CSO estimated that there were 284,800 full-time equivalent jobs directly involved in tourism in Ireland, which represents a tourism share of more than 13% of total full-time equivalent jobs in the overall Irish economy. This compares with an approximate 4% share of all employment involved in Agriculture, a   6% share of employment in Construction, and 12% of employment in the Industry sector. When all full-time equivalent jobs in the tourism characteristic industries are included (adding those not directly involved in tourism), the employment figure rose to 351,700. 

In terms of tourism businesses an estimated 45,700 enterprises were involved in providing goods and services directly to tourism in 2019.

Tourism Non-monetary Data

The TSA also measures non-monetary data relating to tourism. This information covers same-day trips, overnight trips and overnight stays which are broken down by inbound, domestic, and outbound visits. In 2019 inbound tourism to Ireland consisted of 1.5 million same-day visits, and 10.6 million overnight trips, which led to 73.6 million nights spent in Ireland by foreign visitors. Domestic tourism in 2019 saw 11.1 million same-day visits and a similar number of overnight trips (11.6 million). These overnight trips resulted in 29.5 million nights away on trips for Irish residents in 2019. Irish residents who travelled abroad went on 710,000 same-day trips and 9.4 million overnight trips. In total these overnight trips resulted in 66.9 million nights spent away from home outside of Ireland.

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Tourism industry unveils plans to grow sector by 50% by the end of the decade

Vision 2030 envisages 350,000 people employed in sector with exchequer revenue increasing to €2.3bn.

The new plan would involve up to seven million seats on air and sea transport and 14,000 additional tourist accommodation rooms. Photograph: Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images

Tourism leaders have launched ambitious plans to grow the industry by 50 per cent between now and the end of the decade.

Vision 2030, produced by the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC) envisages tourism revenues increasing from €10 billion to €15 billion while employing 350,000 people and providing €2.3 billion in exchequer revenue.

For that level of growth to happen in the sector, there is a need for a further 24 per cent growth in both domestic and international visitors.

This would involve up to seven million seats on air and sea transport and 14,000 additional tourist accommodation rooms.

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Vision 2030 said the sector lost €12 billion during the pandemic of which €6 billion was restored by the Government and it will be 2025 or 2026 before visitor numbers reach 2019 levels.

The primary constraint on achieving those goals was the lack of guest accommodation.

It stated that 20 per cent of the country’s tourism accommodation is currently being allocated to refugees and is “not sustainable”.

Speaking at the launch of the document in at the ITIC conference in Athlone on Monday, the Minister for Tourism Catherine Martin said the real figure was 13 per cent which are currently occupied by Ukrainian refugees nationally.

She had requested from Fáilte Ireland a report on the knock-on effects from having so many hotel rooms given over to refugees.

She acknowledged that in many places along the western seaboard, the number of Ukrainian refugees staying in hotel accommodation is much higher than that figure.

“We have to think outside the box about that. We have to source alternative accommodate. At all times we should never forget that we are a nation that fled awful circumstances and went to other countries abroad,” she said.

She ruled out doing a U-turn on the Government’s decision to restore the 13.5 per cent VAT rate on hospitality.

There was dismay within the hospitality industry when this month the Government restored VAT from the temporary rate of 9 per cent back to the pre-pandemic rate of 13.5 per cent.

Ms Martin said the Minister for Finance Michael McGrath had made it clear that the reduction in the rate was seen as a Covid-19 support that was lifted once the pandemic ended.

The hospitality sector, which includes hotels, B&Bs and restaurant, argued that the timing of the restoration of the VAT rate was wrong with so many businesses under pressure from inflation.

Ms Martin responded by stating that the VAT cut cost the exchequer €1.2 billion.

“I advocated right throughout the Covid pandemic, that it remain at 9 per cent, but the Minister for Finance Mr McGrath was quite clear that he had made the decision it was coming back,” she believed.

When it was suggested that it would be consumers who would ultimately pay the cost, she responded: “We have to look at other supports that this industry needs. The cost for running businesses has gone through the roof and that’s where we are not now. The Minister for Finance was clear that he was not going to [retain the VAT rate].”

She said the Government was discussing the possibility of splitting the VAT rate with accommodation providers paying a different rate to restaurateurs, but this was a very complex arrangement.

Vision 2030 stated that the increase in VAT will now make Irish accommodation costs the third highest in Europe and lead to a further loss in competitiveness.

Ronan McGreevy

Ronan McGreevy is a news reporter with The Irish Times

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Irish Tourism Industry Earned €5.3bn From Overseas Visitors In 2023

It is estimated that €5.3 billion will have been spent by international visitors while visiting Ireland in 2023. This is according to the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC) which has issued its 2023 Review.

The 2024 Outlook shows that Irish tourism remains robust despite domestic cost challenges and international geopolitical events.

Tourism is Ireland’s largest indigenous industry and biggest regional employer with an estimated 254,000 people working in the sector.

Regional Ireland

“The Irish tourism and hospitality industry has once again proved its resilience, it is vital to regional Ireland in particular providing livelihoods and economic activity where other sectors simply can’t reach,” said Elaina Fitzgerald Kane, Chair of ITIC.

Fitzgerald added that with the right market mix there can be further revenue growth in 2024, however, she highlighted that there could be an element of frustrated demand due to capacity and competitiveness concerns. ADVERTISEMENT

Tax Generated

Tourism accounted for 4.4% share of Gross Value Added (GVA) in the Irish economy and generated approximately €2,000 per head of population.

According to Fáilte Ireland , for every euro spent by tourists 23c is generated in tax.

Tourism Accommodation Constraints

ITIC has highlighted tourism accommodation constraints as being a handbrake on growth with 20% of hotel and guesthouse beds contracted to Government for refugees and asylum seekers, and new short-term rental legislation likely to impact on self-catering properties.

The tourism body warned that Dublin Airport needs to be allowed grow beyond its current passenger cap.

'Significant Burden'

Furthermore, ITIC said businesses are concerned with rising costs as a result of government legislation.

“The labour costs alone being imposed on businesses across the economy amount to about €4 billion annually, this poses a significant burden for SMEs with tight profit margins and some of these costs should be offset by government or else Irish competitiveness will be further eroded,” said Eoghan O’Mara Walsh , CEO of ITIC.

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TOURISM DEEP DIVE – ECONOMIC IMPACT CSO’s Tourism Satellite Account

The CSO has released its first Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) for the tourism sector – an internationally recognised harmonised framework for measuring tourist activity. The output highlights the importance of tourism to the national economy, utilising supply and demand side data, drawing on National Accounts and more refined employment data, including activity in tourism related industries.

The Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC) welcomes this first step in the development of TSA, an issue which it has lobbied for over the past two decades and was a key recommendation in previous industry strategies for the sector. Using 2019 data – the last full year of data pre-pandemic – the TSA also allows for the first time comparisons on tourism performance with other EU destinations. It is an invaluable tool for industry, agencies and policy makers.

KEY FINDINGS

Tourism consumption amounted to €10 billion in 2019 – 73% from inbound tourists and 27% from domestic trips.

Tourism accounted for 4.4% share of Gross Value Added (GVA) in the Irish economy.

284,800 directly employed in almost 46,000 tourism-related enterprises , based on full time job equivalents – 13% share of total employment across the economy. Total employment related to tourism is estimated to increase to 352,000 , when jobs in non-specific tourism businesses are taken into account.

Tourism generated approximately €2,000 per head of population.

Tourism Contribution to the Economy

Using the TSA methodology of both supply side and demand side data allows for a determination of the extent of the economic impact driven directly by tourist expenditure – Tourism Direct Gross Value Added (TDGVA). The CSO’s estimate shows that tourism contributed €13.5 billion to the Irish economy in 2019, accounting for 4.4% of total Gross Value Added (GVA) in the economy. Across the EU the average ratio was estimated at 4.5% in the same year.

The main tourism industry contributors to TDGVA in 2019 in Ireland were accommodation and food and beverage services for visitors (€5.704 billion).

Tourism Employment in 2019

The latest estimate is that there were 284,800 full-time equivalent jobs directly involved in tourism, based on TSA methodology. When those employed in the sector not directly involved in tourism is added the employment figure increases to 351,700.

45,700 businesses were involved in providing goods and services to tourism in 2019.

Seven in ten jobs in tourism were in the accommodation and food sector, with the balance almost equally divided between transport and cultural/recreation services.

Tourism represents a share of more than 13% of total full-time equivalent jobs in the overall Irish economy. This identifies tourism as a major employer, especially in the indigenous sectors of the economy.

The publication of the first TSA, using new methods and data sources, is a welcome ‘work in progress’. Further development and refinement will ensure that tourism performance and relative importance within the national economy can be more accurately measured. Inputs around employment, impacts on businesses outside tourism industries, including capital investment, together with robust data on the scale and value of day trip visits, would enhance the value of the TSA. Ideally the industry would like to see the production of TSA on an annual basis and are willing to participate with the CSO to achieve this objective.

References / Further reading

• CSO Frontier Series: Irish Tourism Sector 2019 (Tourism Satellite Account) released July 21, 2023
• Irish Tourism Sector 2019 (Tourism Satellite Account) – CSO – Central Statistics Office
• Eurostat: Tourism Satellite Accounts in Europe TSA publication for 2019, released April 2023
• Tourism Satellite Accounts in Europe — 2023 edition – Products Statistical reports – Eurostat (europa.eu)

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