Millions of American tourists flock to Ireland each year, creating a transatlantic pipeline of visitors that pumps billions of euros into the Irish economy. The 1.67 million Americans who visited the Emerald Isle in 2019 spent a staggering €1.5 billion—making them Ireland’s second most valuable tourist market after the British.
These aren’t just casual visitors dropping in for a quick pint of Guinness; they’re deep-pocketed travelers who linger, explore, and open their wallets with enthusiasm that tourism officials elsewhere can only dream about.
American visitors to Ireland don’t just sightsee—they invest time and money with an enthusiasm that leaves tourism officials elsewhere envious.
The typical American visit to Ireland isn’t a hurried weekend jaunt but a deliberate, often extended affair. With 70% citing “holiday” as their primary motivation, these travelers commit to experiencing Ireland’s charms without rushing. Minister Peter Burke is currently leading a tourism sales mission in the United States to further strengthen these valuable connections. They wander ancient castle grounds, trace family histories in parish records, and swap stories with locals in pubs where time seems wonderfully elastic.
This tendency to stay longer translates directly into their outsized economic impact—Americans consistently outspend visitors from other nations, supporting hotels, restaurants, and attractions across the country.
Ireland’s tourism authorities have shrewdly identified where these valuable visitors originate—particularly the American West Coast, which supplies 27% of all U.S. tourists. The expanded air routes from Detroit, Indianapolis, Nashville, and major West Coast hubs have made the journey more convenient than ever.
Tourism Ireland has responded by intensifying marketing efforts in Seattle, San Francisco, and Southern California—regions ripe with Ireland-curious travelers.
Despite occasional fluctuations—like the sharp 40% drop in February 2025—the American love affair with Ireland shows remarkable resilience. The nearly €2.2 billion spent by North American visitors in 2024 represented a healthy 19% increase from the previous year.
This enduring relationship flourishes because Ireland delivers exactly what Americans seek: authentic experiences, ancestral connections, and landscapes that feel simultaneously foreign and familiar—a perfect alchemy that keeps them coming back, staying longer, and spending more. Unlike other tourists, Americans often visit to reconnect with family or friends, which accounts for 37% of international visitors’ reasons for traveling to Ireland in February.
