Fáilte Ireland Research: What Makes a Great Visitor Attraction (Drivers of Satisfaction 2018) 

This report provides an overview of current trends geopolitical, demographic & environmental trends along with consumers desire for new experiences, acceleration of digital technologies, the  focus on wellbeing and importance of sustainability and how they have impacted food and beverage offerings. 

See examples in this report. 

An update on Government Contracted bed stock levels in Ireland  and the impact on tourism revenues. 

As of November 2024: 

• There are 65,457 beds under contracts, a fall of -15% since  May.
• 17,632 beds (27% of contracted beds) are in premises on Fáilte Ireland (FI) registers/listings
• 47,825 (73%) are in non-registered properties.
• The number of beds under contract in FI registered properties is down -30% since May. This compares with a fall of -8% in non-registered premises.
• Nationally, 7% of all FI registered bed stock is under contract, it was 10% in May.
• The counties with the highest share of registered bed capacity out of use by tourists are Clare (18%), Meath (18%), Wicklow (14%), Mayo (12%) Offaly (12%) and Cork (10%).

See more analysis in the full report. 

In this Fáilte Ireland update we find that:

• Recruitment and retention has become less difficult for the third year in a row, as measures taken by employers seem to be having an overall positive effect.
• Nevertheless, it is still not easy in a tight labour market
• Most workers in or looking to work in the sector see it as a long-term career. 
• Further strides in recruitment and retention have been helped by improved perceptions of regular pay in the sector, with 60% of employees saying that compensation has improved.
• However, workers feel that the regularity of additional pay for unsocial hours has stagnated after improving in earlier years. 
• This is negatively impacting their sentiment towards the industry.

See more results in the full report. 

The Visitor Attractions Survey Report 2023, provides a topline analysis of Visitor Attractions Performance in 2023 along with attendances at participating attractions.  Some insights: 

• For businesses that provided visitor figures from 2019, 2023 levels were 95% of 2019 totals, higher than in 2022 (85%)
• Every attraction category improved on their 2022 levels, with the exceptions of natural attractions and heritage parks, leisure and theme parks.
• Museums/galleries experienced more visitors for the first time since the pandemic (110% of 2019 levels).
• Visitor numbers recovered quickly for gardens, with figures having remained broadly consistent - and higher than pre-pandemic levels (118% of 2019 levels in 2023).

See more results in the full report and attendance by County.

This report captures the first full year trading for Irish hotels that has not been impacted as the three prior years by the Covid-19 pandemic.   The results: 

• continue to illustrate the recovery in the marketplace post-pandemic with despite challenges like the increased costs of doing business, especially payroll.
• The survey also collates hotelier sentiment on issues that  have impacted their businesses during the year and their outlook on the strength of the recovery on revenues, costs and profit levels.

See more in this summary document. 

This report by McKinsey and Skift, examines the world of travel experiences and offers an assessment of the experience industry today:

• Demand for compelling travel experiences has intensified in recent years. Aided by the internet and social media across the globe.
• Experiences have become powerful decision drivers for travellers: the possibility of a life-changing travel moment motivates people to book a trip. 

• A 2023 report on tourism trends found that consumers’
  spending on experiences was up 65 percent from 2019, while spending on physical products rose only 12 percent over the same period. 
• But despite this trend about experiences and the large pool of value they represent, the travel industry has yet to crack the code on an approach that can please travellers, make sense for experience providers, and produce profit at scale for distributors and larger stakeholders.

See more in this report.

Smart hotels provide guests with an innovative technology-first approach. It addresses the way travellers live today and their high digital expectations. 

There are five examples of how hotels are incorporating cutting edge technology to cater for the habits of their guests.

See more in this article.  

A new concept from from Premier Inn.

The idea is keeping it simple.  Do the essentials brilliantly, then take away everything else.  You get a small room, a simple stay and at a very good price.