Visit Scotland | Alba

Overview

  • With ancestral links and a shared language, we have many friends on the Emerald Isle.
  • In 2022, Ireland was Scotland’s seventh largest international source market measured by number of visits. It was fourteenth by expenditure and fifteen by number of nights.
  • Irish visitors accounted for 4% of all overseas visits to Scotland and 2% of all overseas spend in Scotland in 2022.
  • 2022 saw a recovery with visits and spend both returning to pre-pandemic levels.
  • Our factsheet highlights the latest annual data on the volume and value of Irish visitors to Scotland from the International Passenger Survey (IPS).
  • Find methodology information within the official statistics and partners section.

Ireland factsheet 2022

Published July 2023

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In this article:

Key statistics

137,000

total number of visits by Irish visitors to Scotland in 2022

462,000

total number of nights spent in Scotland by Irish visitors in Scotland in 2022

£49 million

total spend by Irish visitors to Scotland in 2022

3.4

average nights per visit by Irish visitors to Scotland in 2022

Source: IPS, 2022 (numbers have been rounded)

1. Executive summary 2022

In 2022, Ireland was Scotland’s seventh largest international source market measured by number of visits. It was fourteenth by expenditure and fifteen by number of nights.

Irish visitors accounted for 4% of all overseas visits to Scotland and 2% of all overseas spend in Scotland in 2022.

The average spend per trip in 2022 was £358. The average spend per night was £106.

The average length of stay was 3.4 nights.

View more graphs and charts on tourismobservatory.scot.

Source: IPS, 2022

2. VisitBritain MIDAS research 2022

In 2022, our partner, VisitBritain undertook comprehensive research with international leisure travellers. They spoke to global tourists from many markets, including Ireland.

Whilst the research focuses on perceptions and experiences of Britain, there are insights which are useful for the Scottish tourism industry.

West European markets are more likely to demand a variety of interesting people, experiences and food and beverage options. These needs seem more distinctive than drivers in the other European regions.

Read the full VisitBritain MIDAS research

3. Official statistics and partners

The International Passenger Survey (IPS) is a continuous survey carried out by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It covers all major air, sea and tunnel ports.

The survey provides information on the numbers and types of visits made by people travelling to and from the UK. Anonymous face to face interviews are undertaken with a sample of passengers entering and leaving the UK.

Find out more on the survey methodology on the ONS website.

Read further ONS publications.

Read how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted on the IPS data collection.

4. Additional research and resources

VisitBritain’s IPS data viewer by UK nation

www.visitbritain.org/inbound

VisitBritain’s Irish Republic market profile

visitbritain.org/irish-republic

VisitBritain’s international market segments

visitbritain.org/customer

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