Ryder Cup organisers warn Irish hoteliers against price gouging

Ireland is not New York or Rome warns golf tournament organisers

Adare Manor in Limerick hosts the 2027 Ryder Cup tournament between European and USA golfers.

Ryder Cup organisers have warned Irish hoteliers against price gouging and to commit to room rates ahead of the 2027 golf tournament in Adare Manor.

Addressing the 2025 Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) Conference in Killarney on Tuesday, Director of Hospitality and Guest Experience at Ryder Cup Europe Alan Evans questioned the 'surprising' prices hoteliers have quoted the organisation and urged the 300 hotel and guesthouse owners at the conference to avoid charging prices based on historical rates.

“It has surprised us a little just how elevated some of the rates that we are getting,” Mr Evans said.

“We will be focusing very heavily on fan experience. Our ticket prices will match ticket prices for major sporting events. They will not be the $750 that they are in New York next year, but they will match what you would expect to pay for a 10-hour event,” Mr Evans continued.

“But if you are driving a very high rate for your properties, you need to also have one eye on the guest experience as well. It’s a representation of Ireland, and it’s a representation of the event itself.” 

“Our message to hotels is if that’s the rate you think you can get, fine. But make sure the experience matches the rate.” Mr Evans also cautioned Irish hoteliers against hiking prices to reflect historical rates charged in previous cities, adding that the rates cited in the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome and this year’s tournament in New York were not comparable for hotels in Ireland.

“I know there is a lot of checking of historical rates, but I would caution against that. Rome had 75,000 hotel rooms in the city available in 2023 and drives high rates consistently throughout all 12 months of the year.” “It’s the same in New York. The Ryder Cup will be taking place at the same week as the UN General Assembly, so the rates in New York are already distorted.

“With Ireland wanting to attract other major sporting events in the future, we can take a lot of learnings and provide constructive feedback based on the process that we have been through to attract further major events in the future.” 

Looking ahead, Mr Evans said the Ryder Cup continued to look for commitments on rooms and rates from hoteliers to help organisers move forward. “Committed rooms and committed rates are super important to us and we are working with all of our stakeholders to place the right people in the right properties.”

Addressing Mr Evans' comments, IHF President Michael Magner said the tournament was a major opportunity for Ireland, with the hotel sector "ready to play their part." "I know the industry will do what's right for the Ryder Cup. We need to be strategic, and the long-term legacy of the Ryder Cup will not be felt in the immediate aftermath, it will be after it." "This gives us the potential to extend our seasons and replicate the impact of the 2006 tournament, and I am very confident that this is going to be done."

The Ryder Cup was last hosted in Ireland at the K Club in Kildare in 20026. An economic report after the event found that it pumped a record €143m directly into the Irish economy. The wider knock-on effect of the golf tournament was estimated to have generated spending of €240m across the country. An additional 90,000 overseas visitors holidayed in Ireland in September that year.

The government believes the 2027 tournament will be worth even more to the Irish economy and has committed €50m towards the competition including €22.5m for a licence fee to the European Tour and an allocation of €14.3m for the operational budget to support transport, security, local authority costs, ceremonies and fanzones.