Special report: The Summer that saved Irish Tourism

After the best summer weather for a decade, the tourism industry enjoyed a much-needed boost as significant numbers of holidaymakers opted to ‘staycation’ this year.

“Irish home-holidaymakers are very weather dependent and traditionally will book their breaks at the last minute,” said Shaun Quinn, CEO of Fáilte Ireland.

“If a summer is bad, we will usually see a last-minute dash to traditional Mediterranean sunspots. With the good weather this year, there was instead a rush to traditional Irish holiday spots. Galway City, Westport, Killarney, Dingle, West Cork, and Clare are among the places that have seen a boost in Irish holidaymakers.”