SEVEN IN 10 Irish residents say they will take a holiday at home before November, new research shows.

The south-west region of the country is the most popular destination for Irish residents intending to take an overnight domestic trip in the next 12 months, followed by the west and south-east regions at 20% and 13% respectively.

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) compiled the Intention to Travel Survey during the last week of April and first week of May.

It revealed that some 73.6% of people say they will take an overnight domestic trip within the next six months.

More than 32% of people say they will take an overseas trip, while some 15% of people will take a trip north of the border.

Just under three-quarters of Irish people intending to take an overnight domestic trip in the next 12 months are planning to use it for holidays, leisure and recreation purposes, while 22% plan to visit friends and relatives.

Those who are intending to make an overnight domestic business trip account for just 1.1% of people.

The survey found that almost two-thirds of Irish adults had cancelled an overnight trip due to Covid-19 since March 2020.

More than half cancelled overnight overseas trips due to the pandemic, while 39% cancelled overnight domestic trips.

While 47.3% of people intend to travel abroad in 2021, 34.5% intend to take their next trip outside the island of Ireland in 2022 or later, and the remainder (18.2%) are not thinking about trips abroad at present.

One-fifth of those intending to take an overnight domestic trip in the coming year plan to use self-catering accommodation, while 56.7% will use a hotel, guesthouse or B&B accommodation.

Statistician Brendan Curtin said: “The findings of the survey reveal that while almost two-thirds (64.6%) of Irish residents aged 18 and over had cancelled an overnight trip due to Covid-19 since March 2020, seven in 10 people (73.6%) intend to take an overnight domestic trip within the next six months.

“For overseas trips, 47.3% of people intend to travel abroad in 2021, 34.5% intend to take their next trip outside the island of Ireland in 2022 or later, and the remainder (18.2%) are not thinking about trips abroad at present.”

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