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EXCLUSIVE

By Sean Moriarty

The Irish Hotel Federation has accepted that reopening will not be possible until at least the end of May this year.
Up to 40 hotels in Killarney remain closed as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. The town has over 2,500 hotel beds meaning Killarney is disproportionally more effected than any other town in Ireland.

However, Bernadette Randles the Chair of the Irish Hotels Federation says the safety of staff and visitors is the number one priority.

“I have resigned myself that it could be May or June,” she told the Killarney Advertiser. “This is about the well-being of the people, safety first.”

She called on people to remain positive and look forward to a time when we can all travel again.

Even if restrictions are lifted in May, Ms Randles said it will be early next year before international travel returns in any viable format and hopes Irish people would holiday at home this summer.

“We live in hope, the vaccine rollout will bring an end to this,” she added. “We will have to give Ireland more support this year, stick together and support each other, not just hotel business but all of Ireland.”