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.