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KERRY hoteliers have expressed serious concern about the significant drop in British visitors during the first seven months of the year. The latest CSO figures announced today show a decrease of 6.2% in trips from our largest market compared to the same period last year.

Patrick O’Donoghue, chair of the Kerry Branch of the Irish Hotels Federation, said the recent recovery in tourism is now under threat as a result of Brexit, with fewer people from Britain visiting Ireland due to the significant drop in the value of Sterling and increased economic uncertainty. “Tourism in Kerry in particular relies heavily on the UK market, so any fall-off in numbers gives cause for serious concern,” said Mr O’Donoghue.

“While the drop in visitors from Britain has been offset by increases in other markets, such as North America and the rest of Europe, we are seeing a significant slowdown in tourism growth so far this year. An additional concern is a weakening in visitor numbers from Northern Ireland that is also occurring. These are worrying trends both for the national tourism industry and our local economy.”

So far this year visitors from the rest of Europe are up 4.3% while visitors from North America are up 17.4%, resulting in an overall increase in overseas visitors of 3.1% compared to 12.7% for the same period last year. “Tourism has received a welcome uplift in recent years which is being felt on the ground here in Kerry, where it is a major contributor to our economy, generating €508 million and supporting 11,900 jobs. However, we cannot afford to take this recovery for granted.”

Mr O’Donoghue says the growth has been underpinned a number of direct actions from the Government, including the 9% tourism VAT rate and the zero rate travel tax. He states that the tourism VAT rate in particular has been of vital importance to the industry. “It has brought our VAT rate into line with other European destinations with which we compete and continues to deliver enormous benefits to the exchequer by making us more attractive as a tourism destination.”