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Brexit rains on Kerry hoteliers’ summer season

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HOTELIERS and guesthouse owners in Kerry and across the country are reporting a continued fall in business levels from the UK this summer according to the results of the latest quarterly barometer from the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF).

While business levels overall were up nationally across the summer months, with seven in ten hoteliers (71%) seeing an increase compared to this time last year, most (69%) reported a fall in business from Great Britain with over half (54%) saying Northern Ireland business levels had dropped too.

The results of the industry barometer echo the latest CSO figures which show that Brexit is already having a significant impact on Irish tourism. Visitor numbers from Britain have decreased by 7.1% for the first eight months, compared to the same period last year. The UK, Ireland’s largest source of inbound tourists, accounts for over 40% of all visitors, providing the widest regional and seasonal spread.

For now, strong performances by the US and domestic markets are helping to offset the significant fall-off in business from the UK. The majority (69%) of hoteliers reported an increase in US business this summer, while almost six in ten (57%) said domestic levels are up. Business levels from these markets look set to remain buoyant for the remainder of the year with many hoteliers (52%) saying advance bookings from the domestic market are up with promising increases from the US (43%) as well as Germany (26%) and France (19%). However, over half (56%) say future bookings from Northern Ireland are down, while nearly two thirds (65%) see a drop in advance bookings from Great Britain.

The general outlook for industry over the next 12 months remains positive, according to the survey, although hoteliers’ optimism has been dented. Most say the weakened value of sterling is already affecting their business and Patrick O’Donoghue, Chair of the IHF’s Kerry branch says the uncertainty around Brexit poses a real threat to the tourism industry, with regional tourism likely to be hit hardest. Tourism currently supports 11,000 jobs in Kerry and contributes some €508m to the local economy annually.

“Many of the consequences of Brexit are largely outside our control, so it is imperative that we mitigate the risks and potential damage where we can. We are calling on the Government to take the necessary steps to protect Irish tourism and to avoid any changes in policy that would weaken our sector’s ability to deal with the risks it faces due to Brexit. The 9% VAT rate for tourism, in particular, continues to deliver enormous benefits to the exchequer by making us more attractive as a tourism destination,” he said.

Mr O’Donoghue added: “The overall rate of tourism growth is also continuing to slowdown, which is worrying. The cuts to marketing funding and development in the recessionary years should also be reversed urgently so we can entice more visitors from new and existing markets and particularly to the regions. Time and time again, Irish tourism has shown itself to be an excellent investment for every euro spent in destination marketing,” he added. Many (64%) hoteliers plan to increase their own marketing spend as they increase their efforts to grow their business both at home and abroad.

The tourism industry as a whole supports approximately 230,000 jobs - equivalent to 11% of total employment in Ireland, making it the country’s largest indigenous industry.

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School Dayz St Brendan’s students donate to Kerry Hospice

Students from St Brendan’s College have given €600 to Kerry Hospice. The money was raised from their book, ‘Futures from the Past’ which was published in April 2024. Teacher Mary […]

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Students from St Brendan’s College have given €600 to Kerry Hospice.

The money was raised from their book, ‘Futures from the Past’ which was published in April 2024.
Teacher Mary Denise Lyons and students Divo Lucic Kovacevii, Michéal McElligott, and Jaroslav Stetsenko handed over the funds to Cathal Walshe of Kerry Hospice.
‘Futures from the Past’ is a book written by current and retired writers, as well as students from St Brendan’s College.
This donation is the second from the book, with €800 donated last year and €600 this year.
The book was created to allow students to use their imaginations to explore the past and think about the future. It involved students from Poetry Ireland’s Writers-In-Schools Programme and adult learners from Kerry Education & Training Board’s Community Education Creative Writing group.
The book was launched at St Brendan’s College in April last year and was made possible with support from Poetry Ireland and the Arts Office of Kerry County Council.
‘Futures from the Past’ is available for sale at St Brendan’s College for €9.

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Community College TY students become qualified baristas

School Dayz Transition Year students at Killarney Community College spent last Tuesday learning the skills to become baristas. They completed a full-day training course and are now qualified to make […]

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Transition Year students at Killarney Community College spent last Tuesday learning the skills to become baristas.

They completed a full-day training course and are now qualified to make coffee, which could make them very employable in local cafes and restaurants this summer.
Their teachers, who are described as the school’s “resident coffee experts,” were impressed with the students’ hard work and enjoyed the lattes, cappuccinos, and Americanos the students made throughout the day.
In addition to their barista training, the TY students also took a trip to Mallow. There, they learned about the rules of the road, practiced the driver theory test, and many got behind the wheel of a car for the first time. They also learned about the dangers of speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

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