The latest Bank of Ireland Spending Pulse reveals that the recent visit of President Joe Biden to Mayo, sparked a rise in spending in both accommodation and restaurants across the county.
The latest analysis of debit and credit card spending for the period of Biden’s stay in Ireland showed that spending on accommodation in Mayo hotels, guesthouses and hostels rose by 12% when compared to the previous week during Easter.
And in a further boost to the Mayo economy, restaurant spending increased by 5% during the same period, as thousands of people attended the visit of the 46th US president which culminated with a memorable speech at St Muredach’s Cathedral in Ballina.
This comes as Joe Biden has formally announced his candidacy for the 2024 US Presidential Election today.
At 80 years old, the US President is the oldest candidate to seek re-election.
He's the third Democrat to declare his interest, following Robert F Kennedy Junior and Marianne Williamson.
While on the Republican side, there are already five candidates in the running, including Donald Trump.