IHF: Vat rate ‘to create more jobs’

Maintenance of the 9% Vat rate for those operating in the hospitality and tourism sectors will be one of the chief drivers of job growth in the coming year, according to the majority of respondents to a survey.

The latest quarterly hotels barometer, published this morning by the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF), paints a broadly positive picture for the industry, with 89% of hotel and guesthouse proprietors reporting an upturn in business conditions this year.

The survey found 64% of hoteliers plan to hire additional staff in the next 12 months, while over 80% plan to increase their marketing investment levels. As much as 95% of operators claim that the ability to boost their staff numbers is largely down to the 9% Vat rate on the sector.