Visitors to Cork spend €800 million using their credit cards during 2018

TOURISTS visiting Cork during 2018 spent approximately €800m eating, drinking and sleeping in the county using credit or debit cards, it has been disclosed.

According to an AIB/Tourism Ireland breakdown, 10% of visitors’ annual electronic spend in Ireland during 2018 was in Cork.

The analysis published in a joint AIB/Tourism Ireland outlook shows that there was an estimated spend of €517m on accommodation in Cork during 2018 and this was shared among 76 hotels, guest houses and other providers.

A total of 4,559 rooms was occupied by guests paying with debit or credit cards during last year and the busiest month was August.

There apppears to be a signficant drop off in the number of UK visitors staying in Cork accommodation. It was 17% less in 2018 than it was during 2017. There was a small increase on 2018 figures with a 2% uptick in reported spend up to June 2019.

In terms of eating out, the spend was €196m and this represents 10% of the national spend and, a reflection of the annual splurge for Christmas, the busiest month was December.

It was a similar story for the spend on drinking with a total spend of €89m and again December was the month when the card was flashed to pay the bill most lucratively for pubs and hotels.

The overall picture according to the analysis provided by AIB and Tourism Ireland is one in which the Brexit shadow looms large but ‘ light is still shining through’.

“The Irish hospitality industry has enjoyed strong growth over the past seven years following a period of contraction following the recession,” said David McCarthy, head of hospitality and tourism at AIB Business Banking.

“Now Fáilte Ireland estimates that the industry accounts for 11% of national employment and delivers €7.6 billion in expenditure with €1.7b in exchequer revenue.

“This year appears to be a much more challenging year for all in the hospitality world as revenues are softening and cost pressures are mounting.”

He also indicated that this year was the best year ever for standards in Irish hospitality as there has been a huge investment in accommodation and other hospitality related facilities.

He added that attempts to grow regions which had been underdeveloped in the past have begun to pay off.