Time for a Staycation

John Burke, Manager of the Armada Hotel in Spanish Point, was one of a group of hoteliers interviewed by The Sunday Business Post for a recent article. The column focussed on the challenges facing our tourism providers.  John, who has climbed Mt. Everest, is no stranger to challenges, but he was upbeat having seen bookings start to come in for late July and August.

John and others in the article indicated that foreign visitors are unlikely to come for some time and that any uplift is entirely dependent, at this point, on the domestic market.

The team in Calor know John well.  Like many other hotels in rural Ireland, he is a Calor customer.  If you think of Counties like Clare, Kerry, Mayo and Donegal, a great portion of their economy is based on tourism.  In particular, the turnover that is made in the Summer months, sustains communities throughout the rest of the year.

Getting these businesses back up and running, as soon as it is safe to do so, is critical. As they are now open for business, it is vital that we support them.

The importance of tourism in Ireland’s economy cannot easily be overstated. Tourism in 2018 contributed €9.4bn to our economy.  Tourism revenues generated €1.7bn to state coffers.  That is the equivalent of €1,000 for every Irish household.  Alongside farming, it is the other key indigenous sector in our economy. Fáilte Ireland estimate that 260,000 people are employed, either full time or part time, in the tourism and hospitality industry. To put that into context, that is one in nine people who are employed in Ireland.

Many of those tourism jobs will be at risk, unless the sector picks up in late July and August and into the Autumn. July to September typically account for two-thirds of longer stays by domestic visitors. 

Where people can afford to, now is the time to take those refunds from planes and ferries and spend them on short breaks and holidays here in Ireland. 

Even if you are working from home, you still need a holiday. And let’s be honest, with it being a tough year for all of us in the face of Covid-19, we could all use some holiday time to rest and recuperate.

With less opportunity for travel this year, we can make the most of holidaying here on our beautiful Island and it allows us to support towns and villages and businesses around the country at the same time.

If you are looking for inspiration, www.discoverireland.ie can help you put together an itinerary for a wonderful holiday in Ireland.

 

For more articles on health and wellness and other topics, click here to visit the #CalorCares blog.