The Failte Ireland Tourism Barometer for April 2018 draws on results of an online survey of 323 Irish tourism businesses supplemented by 201 phone interviews, and 8 in-person interviews with top tourism executives.

45% of accommodation providers said that business was up - about the same as in 2011, and lower than all years 2012-2017. Failte Ireland attributes this figure not being higher to cold weather and the early date of Easter in 2018. Hotels did best with 52% reporting business up, while B&Bs did least well with only 18% reporting business up and citing factors including low-priced competition (think Airbnb) for their poor results. (See the Related Article AA: short-term rentals threatening the quality of Irish tourism, below.)

Restaurants and golf clubs also tended to report poor results, stemming mainly from bad weather.

Northern Ireland businesses didn't have a terrific month, but at least a better one than in April 2017.

Weakness in the British market was felt most in Dublin.