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THREE IN FOUR people on the island of Ireland are not contemplating a holiday abroad this year, a survey has suggested.
Even fewer are considering an overseas break in what remains of the summer, the research indicated, with 94% expressing a preference for a staycation.
The survey results come ahead of the Irish Government’s anticipated publication of a green list of countries deemed safe to travel to and from.
Only countries that have a coronavirus infection rate the same or lower than Ireland will be included on the list, with Great Britain and the US among the places set to miss out.
People travelling from countries on the list will not be required to quarantine themselves for 14 days on arrival in Ireland.
The Irish Government continues to advise against holidaying abroad amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Earlier this month, the Northern Ireland Executive announced a relaxation of self-isolation requirements for travellers entering the region from more than 50 countries.
There are no coronavirus restrictions on people travelling across the border on the island of Ireland.
The online survey, which attracted more than 22,000 responses, was conducted by the Hastings Hotels group.
It found that 77% of people would not be taking a foreign holiday this year, regardless of further relaxations to official advice on non-essential travel.
There were 4,557 respondents from the Republic of Ireland and 17,748 from Northern Ireland.
Of those planning to holiday on the island, 67% said they would be heading to a coastal area, 17% were looking for city breaks and 11% said they preferred a countryside location.
The results come ahead of the expected publication of a travel ‘green list’ by the government tomorrow.
The list will allow Irish people to travel abroad to without having to restrict their movements for 14 days afterwards when they return.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has said these countries won’t “be any different to travelling to Kerry, Connemara or Donegal for your holidays”.
However, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan insisted this afternoon that the list would not send out a signal to people to engage in non-essential travel.
“This is the summer, and autumn, to spend your holidays here at home,” he told This Week on RTÉ Radio 1.
With reporting from Stephen McDermott.
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They might change their minds when they see a the prices of hotels here.
@Jeremiah A Craic: And having to share them with a few Texans !
Leave it off for one year, it’s not a lot to ask for. As much as I like travelling i cant do it every year, this year will be just like any one of those years.
@chihuahua: you can actually I do it every year a return flight to Amsterdam is like 40€
@chihuahua: support local plenty of beaches all round Ireland
@chihuahua: what do you expect to be different next year?
@chihuahua: you sound like you will have it all sorted for us next year. Thanks in advance!!
@Matthew O’Kane: No thank you, i prefer to not get ripped off buy overpriced accommodation and what makes you think everyone wants a beach holiday??
@Bill: we’ll get over this one first. I don’t get the mindset of having to get away this year, it’s hardly relaxing which is one of the main factors of going on holiday. I had flights bought for a trip to Tokyo a few years ago and couldn’t go due to a family reasons, I easily got over it. People should go if you need to go but have respect when they return and restrict their movements for two weeks, it’s not a lot to ask for.
@Matthew O’Kane: Plenty of beaches alright until people start moaning about there being too many at the beaches
I booked a holiday in February and insurance. I could not travel to Lanzarote yesterday as my insurance will not cover me due to the travel advice from Department of Foreign affairs. I agree with the non travel advice but why are consumers left so much out of pocket while the airlines make profits. How is any travel to holiday destinations necessary, why are airlines allowed to trave to holiday destinations. The Government are sending mixed messages. But what can I expect some I believe are asleep on the job and others have a history of looking after bond holders and shareholders.
@Marian Wedgbury: the airlines are making no profits lately, and won’t for a long time!!
Yes and the one in four will Fock it up for everyone trying to do the right thing .
@Finnster: With tourism at rock bottom and no one in resorts, its probably a safer time to travel as there will be practically no crowds or packed beaches abroad. Its the perfect time to travel
@Ian Breathnach: A global pandemic couldn’t be a less perfect time to travel. Unfortunately, those who want to go on a sun holiday will rationalise their selfishness in all manner of ways; “it’s not that bad… I’ll take all necessary precautions… now’s the time to go because flights are half empty… the beaches are empty anyway”.
@ruairi: the epidemic has moved on from most of europe to other parts of the world. It is only infecting people in europe at negligible levels now. This is the perfect time to travel, spend and start living again. We can’t sustained the level of fear you and others are experiencing.
@Barry: It has spread, not moved on. Because it’s so contagious it only takes a relatively brief period of complacency for it to spread again here.
@Thomas O’ Donnell: so I keep hearing. God knows we’ve given it enough chances to start spreading again. It just doesn’t seem to want to.
@Mark: Whose recommendations do you listen to?
@Mark: there are no plane loads of yanks flying in. Flights are at 10-20% capacity and most passengers are Irish. I haven’t heard an American accent in Killarney or Kenmare all weekend. Those are facts.
@Finnster: You really think so. Are you an expert or something?
Thank you. It means that I will probably get the flight to the Algarve all by myself!
@Carlos André: and me to Lisbon .
@Carlos André: Yes, the flights will be near empty because the vast majority of people are doing the right thing and not just thinking of their own selfish needs.
@Cliff Burnby: Perhaps he is travelling to see his parents or family is that selfish needs ??
The Journal are obviously on a retainer from Failte Ireland. Nothing but misery articles.
@Paul Potts: misery articles, go away spreading this false misery BS. I was just told today that I won’t be able to visit my mam in ICU because covid cases are back on the increase, only a dedicated next of kin, my dad, is able to visit. All due to people not social distancing and thinking covid isn’t serious
@Sean: so sorry to hear this. Wishing your mum and family all the best.
@Sean: Unfortunate for you Sean but Covid life without a vaccine must go on. I empatise as I wasn’t able to visit my own Dad in hospital recently. It’s the new reality unfortunatley and I stand over the misery and sensationalist depictions of Covid and travel in our media.
@Sean: Some people think that because they have no personal experience of it, then its not happening or guidelines dont apply to them. Some people just think they and their own families are the only people in the world that count. Way too many people are like this.
Had staycation a week ago in Wexford hotel nobody seemed to know the new laws.
Asked if we could have a drink without food because we didn’t no if guests could.
We where brought to a table had a drink we order another one.
When ordering our second drink we had a laugh with the waitresses telling her we were here for three days so take your time. Because it took 30-40 minutes for the first drink.
She came back about 15minutes later to tell us she didn’t know if she could serve us.
Then 30 minutes later a head waiter came over and said we can’t serve us any more drink.
We left the falling day we ask to see manger.
When he arrived.
It was the manger of the Hotel who gave us the seat in first place and tried to blame the waitress.
Maybe more people will spend what extra cash they have on some home improvements considering the high price of holidaying at home.
The survey by a ‘Hotels group’!
Has anyone heard about all the airlines staff getting covid 19, No,me neither
@Pat Murray: Have you been seeing articles about ferry crews? Maybe taxi drivers? What about chefs?
Come to think of it I haven’t seen much in the way of specifics about too many professions.
Just because you haven’t heard it yourself doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.
Would airlines be champing at the bit to tell us if someone tests positive in their staff? Or will they isolate them, test the others and keep it quiet?
I reckon that might make a *liiiitle* bit more sense.
@Pat Murray: not too many airline staff sitting within a few feet of complete strangers for 4 hour flights either. They general tend to be sitting close to their colleagues and in the case of cabin crew walking around for most of the flight. I think passengers are in a lot more danger.
@Rónán ó hAllúin: you know whos infection rates we HAVE heard about? Healthcare workers. As one myself I really do appreciate all the rationalisations by people who can’t forgo a holiday abroad… some of whom I’m going to have to put myself and my family at risk treating when they, their loved ones or people they infect end up in my ICU…
There is a mentality among too many people that they need a holiday or they deserve a break so they can be pampered and waited on is just complete bcrap. Very few people deserve anything of the sort and think too much of themselves if they do. I know im going to get crucified for this comment, but i really dont care. If people decide they are going to travel to hotels or resorts during this pandemic because their wants and needs for a holiday are too important to them, then i couldnt care less about those people.
@Pauline Gallagher: heading to the west for the first week in Aug. The thoughts of getting into a tin can with a couple of hundred people inhaling the same recycled air in close proximity to potential carriers, wearing a face mask in 30 degrees celsius for a couple of weeks and then staying in the house for two weeks when I get back just doesn’t appeal to me. Staying in the most beautiful country in the world this year and spending at home.
The Hastings hotel group conducted the survey ?
Are they
A) betting on a staycation
B) aiming at a lucrative state contract for de facto arresting people arriving in Ireland
C) both
Maybe people on this thread can just do their ‘staycationing’ at home…it’s OK, you’ll survive
I worry about the 1 in 4 that do
The argument that annoys is that it is more expensive to holiday in Ireland, yes it is, because minimum wage and living costs are more than other cheaper European destinations. Iv never been able to afford to go abroad with kids in the summer months, people must be looking a 5 star hotels in Ireland!!
Accommodation prices have jumped from the same time last year. We did a short break in wexford and the apartment cost for three days was the same as for ten days in Spain which we cancelled. There is definitely some price gouging going on for accommodation. Eating out was a little more expensive but the food quality was excellent. Having to book everything in advance was tedious. However at night you could see that the town was empty and businesses are definitely struggling.
Staycation
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