36% rise in overnight trips to Derry/Strabane and tourism spend jumps by £11,136,979 to £93,579,475

Those who made those overnight trips to Derry/Strabane spent an estimated 1,206,934 nights here, according to NISRA’s Annual Tourism Statistics for Northern Ireland (NI) for 2025.

The number of overnight trips was up by 36 per cent (104,845 trips) from 294,633 in 2024 to 399,478 last year.

Sixty-one per cent of those making overnight trips to the city in 2025 said they were visiting friends or relatives; 26 per cent were here for holidays, short breaks, leisure or recreation; and 14 per cent were in Derry/Strabane for business or other reasons.

There was a 28 per cent year-on-year increase in the number of nights spent here with the total figure rising by 264,801 from 942,133 in 2024 to 1,206,934 in 2025.

Again 63 per cent said they were here visiting friends and relatives; 22 per cent were on holidays or short breaks; and 14 per cent were here for business or unspecified purposes.

And this provided a significant fillip to the local economy.

There was a 14 per cent increase (£11,136,979) increase in visitor expenditure from £82,442,496 in 2024 to £93,579,475 in 2025.

Of those spending that money last year 44 per cent were visiting friends or relatives; 38 per cent were on holiday; and 18 per cent were on business or other trips.

The annual report indicates tourism was generally up across the North.

In 2025, there were an estimated 5.1m overnight trips in the North, with associated expenditure of £1.2bn and those who made overnight trips stayed an estimated 15m nights in 2025.

Compared with the previous year, the 2025 annual tourism figures indicate a statistically significant change in the overall number of overnight trips to the North (up 9 per cent), with a corresponding increase in visitor spending (also up 9 per cent increase).

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald said: “These are very welcome statistics for our tourism industry, showing a sector that is growing steadily and demonstrating how vital it is to our economy. As Economy Minister, I have supported the sector and will continue to do so as we work to build on this positive momentum.

"The All-Ireland economy is driving tourism growth with the latest NISRA figures showing trips by visitors from the south to the north increased by 15% in 2025. There were 1.3million trips in 2025, compared to 1.1 million in 2024. The money spent by southern visitors increased from £243million in 2024 to £317million last year – an increase of 31%.

“With Belfast hosting the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann and Derry celebrating the 40th anniversary of its world-renowned Hallowe’en Festival, we can expect this positive trend to continue."

The minister observed described tourism as ‘one of our key successes and a regional economic driver’.

“I meet regularly with the industry to hear at first-hand the opportunities and challenges they face, and I have been hugely impressed with their optimism, drive, and ambition. I am determined to continue to work with the industry to deliver my Tourism Vision & Action Plan which aims to increase tourism expenditure to £2billion by 2035,” she said.