Home

Ross seeks tax rise exemption for some hotels

ross2

Tourism Minister Shane Ross is seeking to exclude some hotels from any VAT increase which may be introduced in the next Budget.

However he warned that hotels which are “milking” customers with high room charges face losing their entitlement to the special low Vat rate.

Answerinf media questions at the Tourism Ireland mid-year review, he said that a tiered system is being considered which could see bigger, more profitable hotels paying higher Vat rates if budget changes are agreed by the Government.

Under proposals being considered by the Minister for Finance, the full 13.5% rate would be restored for accommodation businesses such as hotels, bed and breakfasts, and guesthouses. The lower rate of 9% could remain for others such as restaurants, cafes, hairdressers, newspapers, and entertainment services.

Meyler leads WAW Sportif

John Meyler has teamed up with Fáilte Ireland and Ride Wild to announce the September Wild Atlantic Way Cycle Sportif. Taking place between the 8th and 26th of

bike0818

September, the Sportif passes through some of the most spectacular coastline and seascapes spanning Co. Cork to Co. Donegal.

The fully supported event is open to female and male leisure cyclists, amateurs and those who simply want to challenge themselves to an epic adventure, on one of the longest and most stunning touring routes in the world. Participants will enjoy an incredible journey combined with fantastic food experences and the warmest welcomes the Wild Atlantic Way has to offer.

The multi-stage event spanning over 2000km will immerse cyclists in the unique cultural tapestry of the towns and villages along the route. Over the 16 stages, female and male cyclists will experience the stunning coastline along the Wild Atlantic Way including areas of great natural beauty such as Valentia and Achill Islands and 5 Classic Climbs including Sheep’s Head, Beara Peninsula, Coominaspic, Conor Pass and Glengesh Pass. Participants will also pass 8 lighthouses, 15 Wild Atlantic Way Signature Discovery Points and 255 towns and villages.

Big Bus Arrives

Big Bus Tours, the world’s largest operator of open-top sightseeing tours, has launched its operations in Dublin with the first Big Bus Dublin bus introduced to the city with an

bigbus0818

official ceremony.

The Lord Mayor of Dublin Nial Ring, cut the ribbon at bus stop 1, 13 Upper O’Connell Street, alongside Phil Boggon, EVP of Western Europe at Big Bus tours, David McConn, MD of Big Bus Dublin and Mark Rowlette from Fáilte Ireland, with over 100 customers receiving Big Bus Tours goody bags.

Dublin is the 20th city in the ever growing Big Bus Tours global portfolio.

Julie Seeks World Cown

The President of the Irish Guild of Sommeliers Oliver Murtagh has announced that Julie Dupouy - Young will be the Irish Guild of Sommeliers candidate at the ASI World

Sommelier Contest which will be held in Antwerp, Belgium in 2019. The deputy candidate Tomasz Szczepanski was also named.

Julie Dupouy - Young works as a Sommelier at Chapter One Restaur jdupouy0818

ant Dublin, Champagne Brand Ambassador Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd as well as running her own independent Consultancy, Down2Wine.

She is the Irish Guild of Sommeliers Best Sommelier of Ireland 2018, a title she has held since 2009.

Toursim Booms as Brexit Looms

CSO figures for the first half of 2018 confirm growth of +6.7% in overseas visitors to Ireland – 307,000 more arrivals than the record first half of 2017. At the mid-year r

visitors eview of overseas tourism, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross TD, and Tourism Ireland CEO, Niall Gibbons, confirmed that this growth has come from all of our main market areas around the world (Britain, North America, Mainland Europe, Australia and Emerging Markets).

Minister Ross and Niall Gibbons outlined what has contributed to the tourism growth so far this year. They also discussed the challenges for Irish tourism to sustain growth into 2019 and beyond. These include external factors like oil price rises, changes in the fortunes of key markets like the US, international trade barriers and air travel disruption. Other challenges include capacity constraints in Dublin and tourism ‘hotspots’.

Brexit dominates all other uncertainties.