The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has revealed through its latest update that overseas travel in Ireland decreased notably in November.
The data shows that in November 2021, Ireland registered a total of 785,800 overseas passenger arrivals, representing a decrease of 15.1 per cent compared to October 2021. Moreover, the same had a total of 785,000 overseas passenger departures, suggesting a decrease of 12.3 per cent compared to the preceding month.
Nonetheless, the figures remain even lower when compared to the pre-pandemic levels. CSO revealed that overseas travel in 2021 was down by 40 per cent compared to November 2019, when the country registered 1,351,400 arrivals and 1,328,400 departures.
Of the total number of persons who arrived in Ireland in November 2021, 96.0 per cent reached the country by air, whereas another 4.0 per cent reached the country by sea.
Moreover, CSO has shown that the continental route accounted for most passenger traffic, with 52.4 per cent of arrivals and 50.6 per cent of departures. After the continental route, the cross-channel route was next busiest, with 39.9 per cent of arrivals and 41.1 per cent of departures.
In contrast, the transatlantic route accounted for only 4.8 per cent of arrivals and 5.9 per cent of departures.
“The November 2021 statistics show that continental routes contributed most to the passenger traffic. Some 412,000 passengers arrived on continental routes, and 397,300 passengers departed on continental routes,” Gregg Patrick, Statistician, said.
Through the latest statistics update, CSO further explained that except for Great Britain, which accounted for all cross-channel activity in November 2021, Spain was the most important routing country. Spain registered 94,700 arrivals and 85,799 departures.
Furthermore, Germany was the next most important routing country with almost 46,000 arrivals and 47,500 departures.
As for the overall number of persons who travelled to and from Ireland from January until November 2021, the figures show that a total of 4,263,000 persons arrived in Ireland from overseas, and 4,289,300 persons departed.
Compared to 2019 levels, the number of those who reached Ireland in November was significantly lower. In November 2019, Ireland registered 18,771,100 overseas arrivals and 18,821,600 departures.
“This illustrates the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international travel to and from Ireland,” Patrick added.
