2024 summer travel trends revealed for Irish guests

The upcoming summer will be action-packed with major sports events influencing Irish travellers’ choices (1). Popular destinations include towns and cities hosting sporting events in France, Germany, and beyond. As the excitement builds, Airbnb has seen a surge in searches for outdoor amenities and its ‘Play’ Category (2). Whether it’s enjoying a beachside villa with a pool, immersing in the excitement of nearby sporting events, or participating in games at home with family and friends, Irish people are looking for playful and adventurous stays.

“The summer of 2024 is shaping up to be an exciting one, with sports fever, playful stays, and outdoor activities leading the charge in Ireland’s top travel trends. Whether you’re a football fan heading to Berlin to catch a match or looking to immerse yourself in the Olympics spirit in Paris, Irish guests are embracing their playful side this summer. Families, in particular, are seeking out destinations inspired by major sporting events when planning their travels.

Amanda Cupples, General Manager for Northern Europe at Airbnb

Sports fever: Excitement builds ahead of major summer sporting events

The top trending category for Irish guests this summer is ‘Iconic Cities’, as they are looking to visit the host cities of major sporting events including the highly anticipated Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 (3). Paris takes the spotlight as the most searched destination by Irish guests this Summer (4), with Irish guests taking advantage of the short journey to the continent. 

And the excitement extends beyond the capital, with trending French cities like Lille (hosting basketball and handball), Versailles (hosting equestrian) and Lyon (hosting soccer) capturing the attention of global travellers (5). In fact, listing page views during the Games period have been on average eleven times higher in the French host cities and their surroundings compared to the previous year (6). 

Beyond the Games, football fans are gearing up for a summer unlike any other. With the European Football Championship fast approaching and Germany set to host, football fans are eager to book their trips – even if Ireland doesn’t get to the Euros – with Berlin showing as a top searched destination for Irish guests. Alongside the Euros, other cities such as London (hosting Wimbledon), Nice (hosting the Olympic football tournament), and Barcelona (hosting the Spanish Grand Prix) are trending among Irish guests thanks to these sporting events (7).

Closer to home, it’s no surprise that Irish people are looking to head to the coast to make the most of the long awaited good weather and brighter evenings. With popular beach and surf destinations such as Doolin, Strandhill and Ventry coming out on top of searches, coastal stays are top of mind. 

 

Playful stays: Summer searches for Play Category soar

With it being the summer of sports, it’s no surprise that Airbnb has seen searches for the ‘Play’ Category surge by 180% for Irish travellers, showing that guests are looking for more active and playful stays (8). The ‘Play’ category includes play-centred amenities and child-friendly themes, with amenities like basketball courts, game rooms, miniature golf, water slides and more.  

Here are the most wishlisted listings in the Play Category in Ireland, ideal for an action-oriented stay:

• Unique 5 bed villa in the sunny south east
• The Lodge Mountain View Log Cabin Attymass BALLINA
• Characterful and contemporary 5 bedroom farmhouse
• Lakehouse Apartment with Hot Tub and Sauna
• Queenies lodge , a stunning getaway, Co Kilkenny
• Kinsale,Ocean View, kids playroom
• Kinsale riverviews
• 5-bedroom house with hot tub near Rathmullan beach
• The Holiday Pub West Cork
• Kinsale,marina views

The great outdoors: Families seek beachside holidays and outdoor spaces  

With an action packed summer, having more space to be outside is a priority for Irish families, with searches for outdoor amenities like pools and BBQs increasing by 18.5% for family travel (9). Offering more space and amenities like kitchens and private outdoor areas, Airbnb is the preferred choice of many families. In fact,  68% say that amenities such as kitchens, workspaces, and backyards are important when booking (10). 

This summer, Irish families are choosing Airbnb to hike, swim and soak up incredible views. Some of the top categories booked for families this summer have a waterfront theme, Beach, Tropical, Surfing and Lake categories. Here are some of the top trending destinations for Irish families this summer, with lesser known spots in Spain coming out top: 

• Cascais, Lisbon, Portugal
• Tarragona, Spain
• Cape Town, South Africa
• Gothenburg, Sweden 
• Lyon, France
• Torrevieja, Spain
• Torremolinos, Spain
• Blackpool, United Kingdom 
• Rhodes, Greece
• Brussels, Belgium

For guests who are booking their travel plans this year and need help finding the cream of the crop, Airbnb has launched Guest Favourites, a collection of the 2 million most-loved homes on Airbnb based on ratings, reviews, and reliability. Guest Favourites have excellent reviews and are rated above 4.9 stars on average. These homes also receive high marks for ease of check-in, cleanliness, listing accuracy, Host communication, location, and value. Whether guests are travelling internationally or domestically, Guest Favourites make it easy for guests to find the best place to stay to make the most of their trip. Head to Airbnb to explore the Guest Favourites filter further when planning your next trip.