Munster tourist attractions struggle to regain pre-pandemic visitor levels

The Cliffs of Moher saw an 80% decline in visitors, falling from 1.6m tourists in 2019 to 333,041 in 2021.

The cost-of-living crisis has replaced Covid as the main obstacle for Irish tourism to recover to pre-pandemic levels.

In its most recent Tourism Barometer, Failte Ireland reported that 57% of non-accommodation operators were down in 2022 compared to 2019. With inflation at a 30-year high, energy costs, reduced disposable income, additional operating costs, and rising car hire prices are the four main concerns for tourism businesses across Ireland, with over three quarters predicting their volume of business to be less than what it was in 2019.

Across Munster, brand experiences and visitor centres were the most adversely impacted tourism categories. Last year, the number of people engaging with brand experiences was just 18% of pre-pandemic figures, with visitor centres welcoming back 27% of their pre-Covid numbers.

Visitor numbers

The Jameson Distillery in Midleton reported a 90% drop in visitors in three years, falling from 135,000 in 2019 to 13,500 in 2021. In the same period, Blarney Castle and Gardens fell by 80%, from 460,000 visitors to just 85,000. The Cliffs of Moher also saw an 80% decline in visitors, falling from 1.6m tourists to 333,041.

Visitor attraction operators have continued to struggle throughout 2022 as rising costs replace Covid as a primary concern for businesses.

As disposable income becomes increasingly scarce, it is likely that brand experiences and visitor centres, many of which are fee-paying, will struggle further to regain pre-pandemic levels. Across Munster, more expensive attractions that performed well despite the pandemic may now struggle more as the cost of living worsens.

Accommodation

While visitor attractions struggle to match their 2019 levels, accommodation operators have reported a strong bounce back from the pandemic, with just under half welcoming more guests this year than they did in 2019.

Caravan and campsites saw a 65% rise in business this year compared to before Covid, along with 63% of hotels where short stays performed significantly well. Weekend and mid-week breaks have exceeded their pre-pandemic norms, however, longer leisure stays have slumped since 2019.

Hotspot areas including Cork, Clare and Kerry are still recovering compared to non-hotspot destinations, with 45% of businesses in these areas still down.

Overall, expectations are much more positive for accommodation operators than visitor attractions across Munster, with hoteliers now primarily concerned about making ends meet as soaring costs make it increasingly difficult to stay afloat.