Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media | Monitoring the tourism sector and the availability and closure of hotels

To ask the Minister for Tourism; Culture; Arts; Gaeltacht; Sport and Media the extent to which she and her Department continue to monitor the tourism sector, with a view to ensuring that customers do not get ripped off; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

– Bernard J. Durkan T.D.

For WRITTEN answer on Wednesday, 22 February, 2023.

To ask the Minister for Tourism; Culture; Arts; Gaeltacht; Sport and Media the extent to which hotel bed spaces continue to remain sufficiently available throughout Dublin city and greater areas, with a view to ensuring that tourists and those seeking hotel accommodation are not pressured into paying exorbitant prices; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

– Bernard J. Durkan T.D.

For WRITTEN answer on Wednesday, 22 February, 2023.

To ask the Minister for Tourism; Culture; Arts; Gaeltacht; Sport and Media the extent to which she and her Department have monitored the number of hotels that have closed down permanently or otherwise in the Dublin area over the past three years; if sufficient steps are being taken to ensure that hotel accommodation is not lost to the market, by virtue of being replaced by other investment; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

– Bernard J. Durkan T.D.

For WRITTEN answer on Wednesday, 22 February, 2023.

REPLY

While we head into 2023 in a strong position, following last year’s rebound in international visitors, I am conscious that there are immediate challenges facing our tourism industry. These challenges include accommodation capacity, energy costs and labour shortages and I and my officials continue to closely monitor these issues in conjunction with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland. Notwithstanding the challenges, we must continue to plan for further recovery in the sector and building for a sustainable future.

Many economic factors such as the current humanitarian crisis caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and significant cost pressures, are affecting tourism businesses.
 
The return of a sustainable and vibrant tourism sector is important and I stress that it is important that businesses maintain a long term perspective on competitiveness and value for money.  Fáilte Ireland has written to all registered providers of tourism accommodation to advise that they will have a renewed focus on compliance with their scale of charges in 2023.  The agency has requested each individual business to consider the wider implication of its price setting models and has reminded them of the importance of maintaining Ireland’s reputation as a good-value destination.
   
It will be important that Dublin, as the capital city, can cater for all types of visitors with quality and value choices to suit different budgets.  Fáilte Ireland continues to monitor closely accommodation capacity in Dublin, both in terms of pipeline and supply, to ensure capacity meets the requirements for tourism demand.