News

B and B Restart Grants Begin

B&Bs who have been struggling during the pandemic are set to be given a cash injection from today. dinglebnb

Tourism Minister Catherine Martin has launched the Restart Grant Plus scheme for B&Bs, which is being administered by Fáilte Ireland.

Grants of €4,000 will be available to B&Bs that do not pay rates to their Local Authority. Fáilte Ireland says “the grant allocation will assist B&B owners with the costs of re-opening and operating their businesses”.

B&Bs in Kildare, Laois and Offaly - where there were localised lockdowns in place last month - will receive an increased grant amount of €4,800.

Hotel offers student deals

The five-star Radisson Blu St Helen's Hotel is offering accommodation at the hotel in Booterstown, Dublin, to students of nearby UCD. radissonhelens

According to an ad on social media, the Radisson Blu is offering five-, seven- and 28-day packages for single or twin occupancy at the St Helen's hotel.

The five-night student rates provided by the Radisson Blu hotel start from €500 and include breakfast and dinner. No rates were advertised for either the seven or 28-day packages.

Duty Free may be fast-tracked

The Government is reported to be considering a proposal to fast-track the reintroduction of duty free from January 1 for all UK routes to help airports and ports crippled by the dutyfree0920

pandemic.

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe and Transport Minister Eamon Ryan are considering the proposal as part of a series of measures aimed at helping the country's airports cope with the escalating financial fallout from the virus pandemic and collapse in air passenger numbers.

Ireland abolished duty free sales to the UK - in line with EU directives - 21 years ago as being incompatible with the EU Single Market.

ITIC ceo makes case for support

Eoghn O'Mara Walsh has made a strong case for enhamced tourism industry support in an artiucle published in to-day's 'Irish Examiner'. eoghanomw18

In the course of the aeticle he writes:

'It can come as no surprise to readers that Ireland’s tourism and hospitality industry has been hit harder than any other economic sector during this dreadful pandemic.

If tourism is thought of as the free, unfettered movement of people, then the impact of Covid-19 simply couldn’t be more destructive.

The closure, by government decree, of tourism and hospitality businesses for long periods; the reduction in capacity due to social distancing rules; and the effective restriction to the country of international tourists has caused massive carnage to Ireland’s largest indigenous industry and biggest regional employer.

This year has truly been an annus horribilis and, with a hard-Brexit looking ever more likely, many in the industry are facing a very bleak outlook.

Pedal Tennis for Adare hotel

Adare Manor has unveiled plans for a new activity centre called The Padel Club. adarem1219

The Club, which will be located close to Adare Manor's Manor House, will include two indoor padel tennis courts, a 17-metre swimming pool, a hydro pool, a steam room, a sauna, a tropical rain shower, a gym, a yoga studio and a simulation room where guests will be able to try an assortment of sports including golf, baseball, hockey, soccer and footgolf.

Pedal tennis, played on a small indoor court is growing rapidly in poularity worldwide.