Car hire costs keep tourists off the beaten track

Exorbitant hire car costs keep tourists ‘on the beaten track’, and away from rural areas such as Conamara that are not served with adequate public transport.

Rising electricity costs are also driving hospitality businesses to the wall, according to Micheál Ó Cadhain of Coyne’s Gastro Pub and Pantry in Cill Chiaráin.

He fears that these twin threats could kill-off small and medium tourism-dependent businesses, and ‘blacken’ Ireland’s reputation.

Mr Ó Cadhain said he has noticed a fall-off in visitors to the Wild Atlantic Way, as tourists opt to stay-put in Dublin because of the high cost of car hire and fuel.

“I’m looking out over Kilkieran Bay now, there are two yachts and seven Galway hookers out there. It’s postcard scenery. But to get to me you’re paying €500 on average a day to hire the car and €120 or €140 to fill it (with fuel) driving from Dublin Airport,” he said.

This was deterring tourists from going off the beaten track, and small and medium businesses were suffering – already he’s had cancellations.

“Hospitality, which has been on its knees for the last two years, is now paying the price again. It’ll cost jobs; it’ll cost businesses; and will tarnish our reputation as a tourism destination. I don’t think they realise the damage they are going to do to the Irish tourism product,” he said.

Mr Ó Cadhain said a doubling in energy costs was also threatening otherwise viable businesses.

“Overheads and electricity costs have spiralled. I was paying 20 cents per unit during the day and ten cent at night; now I’m paying 45 cent and 25 cent, and it’ll go up again,” he said.

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