According to new data from the Central Statistics Office, the number of overseas arrivals to Ireland increased approximately threefold year-on-year in May of 2021 from 28,300 to 85,400, while the number of overseas departures from the country increased year-on-year from 36,300 to 97,000.
Ireland's overseas arrivals and departures increased in May from April, with the number of overseas arrivals being up 23% in May from 64,900 in April and the number of overseas departures being up 32.9% from 73,000 in April.
However, the CSO noted that for every overseas traveller in May of 2021, there were 20 in pre-COVID-19 pandemic May of 2019, when there were 1,818,900 arrivals and 1,851,600 departures.
Air Vs. Sea Figures
73,200 of the people who arrived in Ireland in May, or 85.7% of the total arrivals, came by air, while 12,200 or 14.3%, came by sea.
82,400 of the people who departed Ireland in May, or 84.9% of the total departures, left by air, while 14,600, or 15.1%, left by sea.
Most Common Routes
45,400 of the people who arrived in Ireland in May, or 53.1% of the total arrivals, came by continental routes, 32,400 (38%) came by cross-channel routes and 4,900 (5.7%) came by transatlantic routes.
52,900 of the people who departed Ireland in May, or 54.5% of the total departures, left by continental routes, 36,000 (37.1%) left by cross-channel routes and 4,500 (4.7%) left by transatlantic routes.
Most Common Departure Points And Destinations
The three most common departure points for people who arrived in Ireland in May were Great Britain, the Netherlands and Poland, with 32,400 people arriving from Great Britain, 8,200 people arriving from the Netherlands and 6,500 people arriving from Poland.
The three most common destinations for people who departed Ireland in May were also Great Britain, the Netherlands and Poland, with 36,000 people travelling to Great Britain, 9,100 people travelling to the Netherlands and 7,800 people travelling to Poland.
First Five Months Figures
379,100 people arrived in Ireland during the first five months of 2021, while 408,400 people that departed Ireland during the first five months of 2021. According to the CSO, these figures compare with 3,129,600 arrivals and 3,099,300 departures during the same period in 2020, and 7,398,200 arrivals and 7,427,300 departures during the same period in 2019.
© 2021 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
