Swing vote: What next for Brexit effect on Ireland’s golfing tourism?

There has been considerable commentary in recent weeks about what Brexit means for Irish tourism. Most of it revolves around the uncertainty the Leave vote has created and that certainly applies to Irish tourism.

The approach being taken by our tourism bodies is be summed up by Failte Ireland’s CEO, Shaun Quinn: “It is much too early to speculate on the long term consequences of the result for tourism in the British market.” As sterling struggles — and there are those who predict it could reach parity with the euro — it is worth reflecting that the sterling to euro exchange rate of today is still not as low as that of March 2013, or much of 2011. We have battled back from that position and Ireland welcomed 4.5m British visitors to our shores last year. The difference between then and now, however, is the permanence of the factors involved: namely the UK’s departure from the EU.

For Irish golf there are three key factors which will present significant challenges in the short to medium term: