An expert in tourism and hospitality believes the impact of the Middle East conflict will probably only begin to impact the sectors later this year.
Liam Hession is a partner with BDO – a leading global accountancy and advisory firm – which works with large hotel groups and tourism operators.
He made his comments at a gathering of Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce yesterday.
Liam Hession is a managing partner with BDO, based in Limerick, with responsibility for the leisure, tourism and hospitality sector.
He told members of Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce that for the first two months of this year – before the start of the war –there had been a 30% rise in visitors and a 31% increase in spend, year-on-year.
He said if the conflict is to last into the longer term this would lead to fewer long-haul visitors while budget-conscious tourists would also delay or cancel trips to Ireland.
On the positive side, he noted Ireland may attract other tourists by virtue of being a safe and stable country.
He noted how Cyprus has experienced a rise in cancellations due to how its location and how it has been impacted by the war in the Middle East..
Mr Hession said Fáilte Ireland expects tourism demand to remain stable this year but forward bookings for 2027 are currently behind last year’s comparable levels.
He also told members of Killarney Chamber that while the natural beauty of the area will always attract visitors, tourism cannot afford to be static, and noted how five-star hotels across the country have performed strongly since the pandemic.
