Irish hotels and guesthouses have seen an increase in business levels during the first six months of 2017 according to the latest quarterly barometer¹ from the Irish Hotels 

Federation (IHF).  As the latest CSO figures show overseas visitors up over 3% to the end of May, the industry survey shows that the domestic market is increasing also with seven in ten (71%) hoteliers saying business levels are up compared to this time last year. Overall, three quarters (76%) of hoteliers are reporting increased levels in business year on year. 

 

The strong performance for domestic tourism looks set to continue into the busy summer season. Over two thirds (68%) of hoteliers say bookings are up while six in ten (59%) report that advance bookings for staycations for the remainder of 2017 are up too.  The general outlook for the rest of the year appears positive overall and Ireland looks on course to surpass the 8.8 million overseas visits set last year. More than half of hoteliers (52%) report increases in advance bookings from the United States, 35% for Germany and 27% for France.