The Plan To Keep Tourists Safe This Summer
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The Cabinet sub-committee on COVID-19 is meeting tonight to consider the recommendations made by NPHET on the next phase of reopening the country.
But what are those in the tourism industry hoping for from the government tomorrow?
Máire Ní Murchú, Chair of the Irish Self-Catering Federation, Derek Binchy, Managing Director of Fota Adventure Centre, and Con Quill, Chief Executive of the Irish Caravan & Camping Council and owner of Blarney Caravan and Camping Park, joined us to discuss plans to keep tourists safe this summer.
Self-catering accommodation should reopen before hotels, lobby group says Holidays in self-contained houses are safer and could be used as first step in return to domestic tourism, government is told 7th April, 2021
A survey by the Irish Self-Catering Federation found that 97 per cent of its members intended to open their properties for the summer season. Picture: Getty
Ireland should follow the example of England by allowing self-catering accommodation providers to reopen before hotels, a lobby group has said.
The Irish Self-Catering Federation (ISCF) has called on the government to allow self-contained holiday accommodation to reopen in May as the “first step” in the resumption of domestic tourism.
Europeâs summer abroad cancelled as staycation bookings soar
Padraic Halpin, Sarah Young and Simon Johnson
Feb 17, 2021 â 3.30pm
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Up until late January, Terry OâToole was fielding a trickle of inquiries from Irish holidaymakers happy to settle for another summer at home in one of the cottages he manages in the scenic west coast region of Connemara, Ireland.
But when a government minister said on radio that it was very unlikely Irish people will be able to go on foreign holidays this summer, âthe trickle became a torrentâ.
No place like home: Connemara, County Galway.Â
Tourism Ireland
From Connemara cottages to Berlin houseboats, Swedenâs ski slopes to British activity parks, holiday accommodation is being snapped up by cautious domestic tourists already resigned to another staycation summer, amid fears of foreign travel bans and quarantines.
Strong demand: Terry O’Toole of Love Connemara Cottages says summer availability is ‘tight’. Photo: REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne
“Like last year, you have the entire Irish market trying to squeeze into only a set amount of bookings,” he said.
People still want to holiday and they’re forced to stay in Ireland, he said, something that makes for a slightly begrudging clientele who would usually be off in the sun.
Mr O’Toole expects 80pc to 90pc of Love Connemara’s 100 holiday homes to be fully booked for July and August within the month.
He is banking on a strong second half and some brave early holidaymakers to eke out a profit.
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