News

Airport fees 'unsustainable'

Dublin Airport is dealing with a 'grossly unsustainable position' as a result of passenger charges that are based on 2019 traffic levels, the chairman designate of the DAA, Basil dublinairport0421

Geoghegan, will tell an Oireachtas Committee today.

Passenger charges at Dublin Airport, which is operated by the semi-state DAA, are regulated by the Commission for Aviation Regulation (Car).

'Given the scale and severity of the crisis, it was clear from the earliest stages that the Commission for Aviation Regulation’s 2019 Price Determination for Dublin Airport – which set the airport’s pricing out to 2024 based on record levels of traffic and had stipulated a significant 18.5pc reduction in airport charges for 2020 – had effectively been rendered void', Mr Geoghegan will tell the committee.

Nphet urges continued hospitality curbs

The National Public Health Emergency Team has advised that existing restrictions on hospitality should stay in place for several months. nightclub

If adopted by Government, it would see basic measures such as mask wearing, social distancing and Covid certificates remain in place until around spring 2022.

However, the NPHET advice does provide for ways to be found to allow other venues such as nightclubs open safely, including through the use of the Covid certificate.

This Friday was due to see an end to the requirement for physical distancing, or mask wearing outdoors, or indoor, in private settings.

There was also to be an end to the need for certificates of vaccination, or immunity or proof of having contracted Covid-19, for access to or engagement with any events.

Last night, coalition party leaders considered the NPHET advice and Government today must decide if some of the outstanding pandemic restrictions will be altered on Friday.

Attractions seek continued support

Delegates at the Association of Visitor Experiences and Attractions (AVEA) annual conference, broadcast virtually from the Guinness Storehouse , heard that the Visitor avea2021

Attractions sector looks forward to recovery next year following the Covid-19 pandemic, but that Government supports will be still needed into 2022 to assist the sector.

The theme of the conference for 2021, ‘Rethinking the Future – Towards Sustainable Recovery”, was officially opened by Minister Catherine Martin TD, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, the Gaeltacht, Sports & Media. The Conference of over 500 online delegates, representing the VEA and Tourism sector, also heard from keynote speaker David Harland, CEO of the Eden Project in Cornwall, as well as a host of other leaders in the sector and from the tourism industry in Ireland and abroad.

In 2019, the estimated economic contribution of AVEA members to the Irish economy was €501 million, with a total of 25.3 million visitors. AVEA members, who employ 4,500 people across Ireland, suffered a 70% reduction in visitor numbers across 2020 and 2021 compared to 2019 levels, with a drop of 80% for Dublin based Attractions. The Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC) has forecasted that it may be 2024 or 2025 before the tourism sector returns to 2019 pre-pandemic business levels.

Sustainable tourism could boost WAW

New research suggests marine tourism could generate additional business during the off-season for counties along the west coast. way1021

Studies carried out as part of the European Union's Moses Project suggest coastal tourism has the potential to attract people for longer stays, when specific offerings are in place.

Using the Wild Atlantic Way (WAW) as a research model, researchers from NUI Galway concluded that sustainable tourism in coastal areas could benefit the local economy, while ensuring that there was no adverse impact to the environment.

The Socio-Economic Marine Research Unit, which is based at the university, stresses that close collaboration with local communities is key to achieving the goal of sustainable tourism.

Its report says that with improved infrastructure and specific offerings outside the traditional holiday season, tourists could be attracted by new, sustainable visitor experiences.

BD Fest postponed

This year's sold-out BD festival in Glendalough, Co Wicklow has been postponed. bdfest1021

Due to take place this weekend, festival organisers say they have taken the decision to postpone the event following comments by Taoiseach Micheál Martin that the lifting of some restrictions on 22 October may not proceed as planned.

The festival's rescheduled dates are for 16 and 17 April 2022.

The statement said: "The postponement of this year's two-day festival is due to the risk of the continuation of Covid-19 restrictions.