Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 7 December 2022

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media

Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed)

Photo of Shane CassellsShane Cassells (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That is understandable. I think the issue of the star ratings of the hotel could be addressed. I know the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is handling the issue but we have officials present from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. It is relevant. Mr. Kelly made the point that international bookings are standing up. If they are, those people are booking now, so they have their beds and value secured. A domestic tourist who will potentially be looking at this next March or April will not have that. They will be subject to the price fluctuations. I do not think anyone in the industry is trying to throw consumers under the bus. They want to make money and to have a viable industry. International tourists will get the value because they are booking now. They have secured their rooms. The impact of the reduction in capacity, the fluctuation and, as Mr. Kelly called it, the agility of the domestic person to book late, means that domestic customers will be the ones who are subjected to this. Mr. O'Mara Walsh quoted the statistics. Which counties need to be addressed most, particularly counties in the higher echelon of tourist destinations, where people are now seeking humanitarian aid?

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