Visitor numbers from Ireland to the U.S. dropped by nearly 27% in March compared to the same month last year, according to data released by the U.S. International Trade Administration, reports RTE.
The 26.9% decrease was among the largest declines seen in Western Europe that month. Across the region overall, visitor numbers were down 17.2%.
Denmark saw an even sharper drop, with a decline of 33.9% compared to March 2024, reports RTE.
Relations between Denmark and the U.S. have been strained recently, particularly after repeated comments by former President Donald Trump expressing a desire for the U.S. to acquire Greenland, citing its strategic value and resources.
Germany also experienced a significant drop in visitor numbers, down 28.2% year-on-year, reports RTE.
In March, Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs issued updated travel guidance for transgender individuals planning trips to the U.S., noting a change in how sex should be indicated on visa application forms.
It said: “The US authorities have indicated that this should reflect, what they term, the traveller’s biological sex at birth. Travellers whose sex on their passport differs from sex assigned at birth should contact the Embassy of the United States of America in Dublin for further details on specific entry requirements,” reports RTE.
Also announced this week, U.S. immigration authorities will begin reviewing applicants’ social media for content deemed anti-Semitic by the Trump administration. This could result in denied visas or residency.
Content flagged as anti-Semitic will include posts supporting groups the U.S. designates as terrorist organizations, such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthi movement in Yemen, reports RTE.
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