Small uptake of staycation vouchers in Kerry hotels and B&Bs

It is hoped the vouchers will see a return of Kerry people holidaying close to home in towns like Ballybunion. Picture: Dominick Walsh

Just a small percentage of the vouchers which can be used towards overnight accommodation in Kerry have been presented so far in hotels, guesthouses, and other facilities.

The coupons in denominations of €20 to €5 were sent out to 56,000 households in Kerry in June in a campaign by the Kingdom’s main tourist body the Kerry Tourism Industry Federation (KTIF) and Kerry County Council.

The vouchers aim to encourage people to staycate and were “ring-fenced” for overnight stays within the county of Kerry and are non-transferrable to anyone living outside of the county.

So far, only a small percentage of the coupons, which can be used towards up to 10 per cent discount of overnight bills, have been presented in hotels, guesthouses, and other facilities organisers estimate.

By restricting them to Kerry people it was hoped to see a return to the one-time tradition in Kerry of holidaying not too far from home.

Traditionally Killarney people went west to Rossbeigh, or north to Ballybunion and the beaches of the north, while north Kerry farmers and merchants wended their way to Killarney and Kenmare and some even went as far as the hotels in Sneem and Valentia Island. However, most Kerry people may be eyeing the prospect of a break later in the year, possibly when they would get more value.

According to the chairman of KTIF as they are valid until late April 2021, it appears Kerry people have delayed taking a holiday and maybe eying an autumn or a spring break.

“From feedback to date that, for the most part, people seem to be storing them with less than 5% recorded as being used at this time,” according to KTIF chair Pat O’Leary.

The tourist industry is worth €400m each year to Kerry. It was badly hit by the Covid-19 shutdown and it is hoped the scheme will encourage people to rediscover the gems on the doorsteps.

"Now is the time to share our love for our county with our children, family, and friends: to revisit a childhood haunt, to rediscover a favourite memory or to explore a corner of the county that you have never seen," Mr O'Leary said.

Hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses, self-catering homes along with caravan and camping sites all over the county had signed up to accept the vouchers. The autumn campaign by the Discover Kerry tourism body may see an upsurge in the use, it is expected.

The full list of accommodation providers partaking in this initiative can be viewed on www.discoverkerry.com.