Visitors shun free deals despite recession

Everyone loves a good recession-inspired deal, but when it comes to fun days out, people are increasingly shunning visits to free attractions in favour of splashing the cash.

New Fáilte Ireland figures show that some of the country’s best-known free attractions are losing out to those that charge.

Details revealed by the tourist body show that last year Ireland’s 10 most popular fee-paying sites were visited by more than 6.158m people.