Tourism sector buoyed up by bookings hike

Hotel and guesthouse owners across the city and county are buoyed up by the increase in bookings that has followed the Government’s announcement that hotels will reopen on June 2.

The latest industry survey from the Irish Hotels Federation shows booking levels nationally now average 31% for July and 27% for August – the key summer months. This compares to levels of 23% and 21% respectively just ahead of the announcement.

The figures for the western region – Galway, Mayo and Roscommon – are running higher than that national average, at 45% for July and 32% for August, with booking running at 34% for June.

As the sector prepares to reopen, the newly elected Chair of the Galway branch of the IHF, Wayne Neilon, is calling on the Government to facilitate the return of vaccinated overseas travellers quickly to give a clear sign to overseas markets too that Ireland is open for business again – as has happened in other European countries such as Greece, Portugal and Malta.

“The increase in bookings in the past fortnight has been a welcome morale boost to our members and the thousands of people employed in Irish hotels,” said Mr Neilon, who is Group General Manager of Connacht Hospitality Group.

“The domestic market was a real positive last year and we expect home holidays to be very important for the sector again this year. Not surprisingly, as indicated by our latest survey, we would expect to see stronger demand in popular tourism destinations and hotels offering packages and facilities for families.”

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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