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DUBLIN HOTELIERS WERE keeping nearly €14,000 on average for every hotel room they offered last year – twice as much as businesses in other parts of the country.
The rising returns came as an ever-increasing number of tourists flocked to Ireland, pushing up room prices and occupancy rates across the island.
However the figures are yet to return to their boom-time peaks, when the going price for a room hit over €120 per night in the capital, according to an annual hotels survey from advisory firm Crowe Horwath.
Last year Dublin had both the highest average price per room, at €97, and occupancy rate, at 77%, which unsurprisingly made it the most-profitable region for hoteliers.
Pre-tax profits on each hotel room in the capital were €13,797 last year, up more than 21% on the figure for 2013.
Those returns compared to an average of €6,791 per room on the western seaboard, the least-profitable region. The profit margin for each available room across the country was 17%, while in Dublin it was 26%.
Renovations needed
The report, based on a survey of 3-, 4- and 5-star hotels across the country, said the average room rate in the Republic was €82 per night last year, up from €77 in 2013.
The industry has benefited from a reduced VAT rate of 9% since 2012 and the hotels lobby is pushing for the special levy to be continued.
Crowe Horwath’s Aiden Murphy said the higher profits for many hotels would need to be channelled into “much-needed renovation” after many businesses didn’t have the money to spend on improvements during the recession.
He noted than occupancy in Dublin hotels hit an average 85% during the peak season last year and there needed to be enough supply of new rooms to cope with all the extra tourists.
Any over-pricing of hotels rooms in the Dublin market, which acts as a gateway for travel into Ireland, could thwart the potential for continued expansion of the overseas tourism numbers to Ireland and have a negative impact on tourism and economic recovery if new supply is not delivered.”
Recent figures have showed the tourism boom was continuing unabated this year with the number of overseas visitors to Ireland up 11% in the first six months of 2015.
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Awful sad news . The Ryan’s are an excellent hurling family in Clara. People will remember this man’s son Lester receiving the McCarthy cup and giving an excellent speech, all in Irish language, only a few months ago. At dheis De go raibh a ainm.
Tragic, these stories are too common. RIP.
Rest in peace….condolences to his family.
Very sad, may he rest in peace.
Can’t understand the red thumbs on some of these comments! RIP
I think it might be how people interpret comments. For example, is it really appropriate to green thumb a comment saying “An awful tragedy”? If anything, we shouldn’t be allowed to comment on these sort of stories.
You get pr#%ks who like to go against people views no matter the circumstances… R.I.P.
Rip. Condolences to the ryan family. Dreadful tragedy
RIP
So, so sorry to hear about this today. My condolences to Lester and all the Ryan family.
Terrible stuff. Should always be 2 people working together in that type of situation. I realise it’s not always possible to hire people if they can’t afford it. #RIP
When do farmers ever have two driving a tractor?
Don’t be silly Maggie. On most farms (that can afford it) there’s always 2 people together, especially around dangerous equipment. I think it might even be law.
It’s not the time for a debate but you’re wrong on this one Fergal. Slurry spreading is usually a one man per tractor job. If you’ve your own equipment to do the job you’d usually just do it on your own. RIP to the man.
RIP, Dreadfully for the family to lose a loved one in such circumstances. Safety in industrial operations has improved over the years but safety on farming has not kept pace. There is an urgent need for compulsory education around safety on the farm.
RIP to the man and I hope his family find peace.
Shockin
Red thumbs people with fuc* all else to do only thrive on other people’s misery…would piss u off..
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