Stay on prices laudable

BY resisting the temptation to rip off thousands of sightseers gathering in Waterford for the Tall Ships festival, the organisers have set an example for other tourism venues to follow.

There are few more evocative spectacles than the sight of tall ships under sail and it is estimated that the three-day event will be worth a whopping €25 million to the city and towns and villages around one of Ireland’s most beautiful harbours.

All too often, greedy publicans, hoteliers and shopkeepers jack up prices, taking advantage of foreign and Irish tourists alike and adding to this country’s regrettable image as the rip-off centre of Europe.

The decision to peg prices at existing levels was laudable.

As thousands converge to see those magnificent vessels, the success of the festival is already assured before Saturday’s climax when the race begins off the Waterford coast.