Eoghan O’Mara Walsh: Travel chaos highlights the failure of a proper testing regime

Tourism is Ireland's largest industry and it is still reeling

Maurice Pratt, chairman Irish Tourism Industry Confederation Council and Eoghan O'Mara Walsh, chief executive Irish Tourism Industry Confederation. Picture: Jim Coughlan

This Christmas for the Irish tourist industry, we should perhaps be belting out the anthem Things Can Only Get Better: it’s difficult to grasp the carnage across a key industry, all through no fault of its own.

After the crisis, an industry that was worth €9.2bn has taken a huge hit to its revenues, with at least 150,000 people working in the industry now unemployed and facing a fraught future.

The latest news of a mutated Covid-19 strain in England, and the travel chaos between Britain and Ireland, brings to a conclusion a year that the industry will only want to forget. 

Starting from the cancellation of St Patrick’s Day Parade and festivities back in March, it quickly became clear that the pandemic would have a disproportionate economic impact on the tourism and hospitality industry. 

International tourist arrivals – which form the significant majority of the Irish tourism economy – all but stopped overnight.

And the domestic market, which was allowed a brief respite in the summer months, has since faced a series of yo-yo lockdowns. 

With Covid-19 always being a public health issue first and foremost, the tourism industry spent millions in adapting their premises by following the best health, hygiene, and sanitisation advice. Thankfully, the data and evidence show little infection spread within hospitality businesses.

Repeatedly turning on tourism & hospitality is like an injured dog that keeps biting its owner https://t.co/hoz6f4m7E5

— Eoghan Corry (@eoghancorry) December 23, 2020

However, with each lockdown, it seems that our hotels, restaurants, attractions, and vintners were summarily shut. 

It truly is devastating for the 20,000 businesses in the industry, meaning that Ireland’s tourism infrastructure is likely to be weakened in the coming years. 

The Government did finally move to support the industry. Although the July stimulus package proved disappointing, October’s budget brought meaningful support. 

It brought business continuity grants, a reduced Vat rate, and the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme. However, subsidies can never go that far to replace lost demand and Irish tourism and hospitality businesses are reeling.

The industry has had to bounce back from past crises, including the financial crash of 2008, the Foot and Mouth, and 9/11. The industry is Ireland’s biggest regional employer and there is an onus on Government to put in place assistance to help the tourism industry to pick itself up off the ground. 

Financial supports must be continued through 2021 and, crucially, international arrivals must be allowed to recommence in a safe and sensible manner. 

A comprehensive and thorough testing regime needs to be put in place to complement the EU Traffic Lights system, a move that would boost the Irish tourism industry and also the wider economy, such as foreign direct investment and exports.

As an island nation, we simply will not survive economically if we are cut off from trade and transportation for much longer. 

The response to the latest virus strain in Britain of simply shutting down travel is a blunt instrument and highlights the failure of authorities to put in place a proper testing regime to ensure that the movement of people can happen Covid-free.

I spoke to @NiallGibbons yesterday, the man tasked with marketing Ireland as a holiday destination to overseas tourists. Niall talks about @TourismIreland plans for 2021 and his hopes for recovery. See 10 minute interview here: https://t.co/1ZPHQfm0sY pic.twitter.com/VZ9p2Mx9g7

— Eoghan O'Mara Walsh (@EoghanOMW) December 17, 2020

And, of course, we still haven’t mentioned Brexit. It seems such a quaint row that doesn’t affect life and limb and yet its repercussions will far outlive the pandemic. 

Hopefully, the Covid-19 vaccine will be rolled out efficiently and there can be a summer season for the tourism industry to look forward to. Any sort of Brexit deal could be an enormous drag. Britain remains Irish tourism’s largest source market and it will be a vital one in the coming years.

• Eoghan O’Mara Walsh is chief executive of the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation, or ITIC