Northern Ireland overnight trip spend: all purposes
Northern Ireland overnight trip spend: all purposes stood at £1,193,409,637 in 2025, according to Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). It is one of the indicators in the Tourism (Northern Ireland) table (Value · Annual), with a complete series running from 2023 to 2025. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Tourism (Northern Ireland) table
| Indicator | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight trip expenditure by purpose | ||||
| All purposes | 1,193,409,637 | 1,093,494,923 | 1,211,741,183 | |
| Holiday | 653,244,577.9 | 578,239,711.2 | 605,421,039.5 |
Understanding northern Ireland overnight trip spend: all purposes
Financial outlays associated with overnight stays across Northern Ireland for every motivation combined are captured by this metric, encompassing spending on accommodation, food, transport, entertainment, and shopping during visits. By aggregating all travel rationales—such as holidays, visiting friends and relatives, and business journeys—this total serves as the overarching expenditure figure, differing from sibling rows that isolate individual travel drivers. It excludes same-day visitors who do not stay overnight, ensuring the monetary flows counted directly align with multi-day visitor consumption within the geographic boundary.
Interpreting these figures requires accounting for inflationary pressures that alter monetary values over periods without any change in physical visitor volume. Early estimates typically undergo revision as administrative records and survey responses are finalised, meaning analysts should exercise caution with provisional releases. Comparing figures against corresponding intervals from past cycles helps mitigate seasonal distortions caused by weather patterns and school holidays, providing a clearer indication of underlying shifts in traveller spending habits rather than mere calendar fluctuations.
Frequently asked questions
- What types of expenditure are included in this metric?
- All financial outlays made by overnight visitors during their stay in Northern Ireland are included, covering accommodation, dining, transport, and purchases.
- Does this series include day-trip visitors?
- No, this series strictly measures spending associated with trips that involve at least one overnight stay.
- How should seasonal travel patterns be handled when analysing this series?
- Comparing matching periods across different annual cycles is recommended to account for weather-related and holiday-driven fluctuations.