Northern Ireland’s hotel industry has welcomed the latest tourism figures published by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA), with the latest data highlighting the continued importance of tourism and hospitality to the wider Northern Ireland economy.
The latest statistics show that Northern Ireland recorded an estimated 5.1 million overnight trips during 2025, generating £1.2 billion in visitor expenditure and accounting for 15 million nights across the region. Compared with 2024, overnight trips increased by 9%, with visitor spending also rising by 9%, demonstrating continued demand for Northern Ireland as a tourism destination.
Day trip activity also remained strong throughout 2025, with 17.9 million same-day visits generating a further £1.2 billion in expenditure. Combined with overnight tourism activity, total visitor spend reached a substantial £2.4 billion during the year, helping to support hotels, restaurants, visitor attractions and the wider hospitality sector across Northern Ireland.
Visitors from outside Northern Ireland accounted for 66% of all overnight trips, with particularly strong growth from the Republic of Ireland market, which increased by 15% year-on-year. The Great Britain market also recorded growth of 4%, while the domestic Northern Ireland market increased by 12%. Holiday travel remained the dominant reason for visiting Northern Ireland, accounting for 53% of all overnight stays.
For the hotel sector specifically, hotel occupancy across Northern Ireland fell slightly in 2025 with over 2.5million rooms sold. Industry benchmarking occupancy levels are higher than those reported by NISRA. This anomaly is the result of reporting from mixed accommodation products at resort properties and a differing sample base.
Commenting on the figures, Janice Gault, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation (NIHF), said:
“These figures demonstrate the significant economic contribution tourism and hospitality continue to make to Northern Ireland. A combined visitor spend of £2.4 billion is a major boost for the wider economy and supports thousands of jobs and businesses right across the region.
“It is particularly encouraging to see continued growth in overnight trips and visitor spend, alongside strong performances from key external markets including the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain. The figures also underline the importance of domestic tourism and day visitor activity in sustaining demand across the hospitality sector.
“At hotel level, performance remained relatively resilient during 2025 despite considerable pressures on operating costs, staffing, insurance, utilities and wider business overheads. However, in tourism terms, these figures already reflect a very different trading environment from the one many businesses are currently experiencing.”
“Northern Ireland continues to benefit from significant investment in tourism and hospitality infrastructure, and it is important that this momentum is maintained. Continued support for destination marketing and tourism promotion will be critical if we are to remain competitive internationally and continue growing visitor numbers.”
“There is also concern within the industry around the Republic of Ireland’s decision to reduce VAT on hospitality food services to 9% from July 2026. The widening tax differential risks placing Northern Ireland businesses at a further competitive disadvantage, particularly in border areas and in attracting international visitors.”
The latest figures come against a backdrop of continued investment across Northern Ireland’s tourism and hospitality infrastructure, with new hotel developments, refurbishments and accommodation expansion continuing to strengthen the region’s visitor offering.
