In the first quarter of 2022, Irish residents travelled domestically overnight 2.3 million times, up 7% over the same period in 2020, the final quarter before the pandemic began, according to the latest figures released from the Central Statistics Office.
With 987,000 visitors staying overnight in the south of the nation in the first quarter of 2022, it emerged as the most well-liked area for domestic travel. The second-most popular region in the nation was the east, which was followed by the west.
In comparison to the first quarter of 2020, there were 31% fewer outbound overnight excursions made by Irish citizens, totaling little under 1.1 million.
The total cost of domestic overnight travel was €471 million, of which €292 million was paid by travellers on vacation and €83 million by those paying visits to friends or family.
78,000 domestic overnight business travels were made, which is 43% lower than at the same time in 2020.
Brendan Curtin, Statistician in the Tourism and Travel Division, said: “The figures provide information on domestic and international travel by Irish residents in the months of January, February, and March 2022. When compared with the same period in 2021, the data demonstrates a strong recovery in travel as covid-19 restrictions lessen.
“There were 2,308,000 domestic overnight trips taken in the first quarter of 2022 which was more than eight times the number of trips taken in quarter 1 2021 (278,000).
“The number of outbound overnight trips increased to 1,089,000 in quarter 1 2022 from 108,000 in Quarter 1 2021.
“While domestic overnight holiday trips and visits to friends or relatives have returned to levels seen in quarter 1 2020, domestic business trips are still down 43 per cent on the pre-pandemic period in Quarter 1 2020.”