Spain remains the most popular summer break for Irish holidaymakers – but nearly as many prefer a staycation.
A growing number of people – one in six – are choosing to spend their holidays in Ireland.
Spain was the favourite overseas destination with 19% of the 3,000 polled by the AA listing it as their choice.
It topped the list for the fourth consecutive year but slipped slightly by 1.5% on 2018.
Ireland narrowly missed out on the top spot with 17.4% taking their main holiday here – a 2.4% surge.
Conor Faughnan of the AA said: “Sun and warmer climates have always been near the top of Irish people’s wish lists.
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“What may come as a slight surprise, however, is the increase in people opting to stay in Ireland.
“This can be a great way to cut down your holiday costs and is certainly something our hospitality sector will welcome.”
This year’s other top European destinations are France at 7%, Portugal at 6.4% and Italy at 6%.
And despite Brexit uncertainty, 4% still plan to head to the UK, consistent with previous years.
The US remains the most popular destination outside of Europe with 5.7% of Irish tourists heading there.
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