Visitors Want To ‘Chill’ Says Research
Visitors to Ireland want to “chill out”, disconnect from daily life and explore new experiences, according to new research commissioned by Tourism Ireland.
The marketing organisation will share the findings of its latest programme of research this week at a virtual event which will be attended by hundreds of tourism and travel operators from Ireland and overseas.
Some of the main findings of the research include:
For 81% of respondents, exploration is the key motivator for a holiday to any destination, with a desire to explore landscapes, culture and new places.
Ability to disconnect is the second most important motivator, with 71% wanting to unwind, disconnect and enjoy special moments with others.
Ireland is twice as likely to be seen as a long-stay destination (44% respondents) versus a short break destination (20% respondents).
78% see the island of Ireland as a place to visit any time (peak or off-peak) – showing our versatility as a tourist destination all year round.
Interest in visiting Ireland has seen a significant jump since 2023, growing by +8 percentage points from 67% (2023) to 75% (2024) of respondents.
Of those planning to visit Ireland, beautiful landscapes and scenery are the main attractor across all markets (34% of those interested in visiting), comparatively of highest importance to Europeans (Germany 46%, France 44%, Italy 39%).
Great culture and rich history are further attractors, important particularly to visitors from the US, Canada and Spain.
Having been before, or having friends and family on the island of Ireland are draws for people, especially from Great Britain where 12% of those interested in visiting are motivated by a previous experience and 13% by visiting friends and family.
Ireland is attractive for 14% of those planning to travel based on a sense of “newness” or discovery, rising to 19% for Northern Ireland.
Among overseas audiences not interested in visiting Ireland, competition with other destinations is a factor (14% of those not interested in visiting us say they have “places they would prefer to go”). Weather acts as cause for concern for a minority in European markets (France 19%, Germany 15%) to a greater extent than for North Americans (US 3%, Canada 7%).
Recommendations and online discovery are most important when it comes to how consumers choose holidays, followed by films and TV shows and travel articles, and these are all important channels Tourism Ireland plays to in its marketing.
64% of previous visitors to Ireland have shared photos and stories online, highlighting the value of advocacy, and giving visitors great stories to tell.
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