When this crisis is over we should holiday at home to help reinvigorate tourism industry

SIR,

The Covid-19 pandemic has deeply impacted our lives at individual, family and community levels. We are all to a greater or lesser degree living lives of isolation and sometimes loneliness. We have most certainly received re-affirmation of the importance of other people in our lives and if there is good to come out of this present shut-down it must be of the value of all of us working together, sharing and interacting for the greater good.

This approach will have a singular importance for Kerry where our economy and our daily lives are so hugely dependent on tourism. At both local and national levels we need to place a great emphasis on re-vitalising our economy which will inevitably be in tatters by the time Covid-19 is contained or hopefully eliminated.

Every year many thousands of us Irish holiday abroad and leave our hard earned money in the foreign tills of other tourist destinations. Now in this our county’s –and indeed our own – hour of great need

I suggest that we should all resolve to holiday in Ireland for the next couple of years. In that way we will be bringing life back to the tourist industry and ensuring restored employment for the many who have for years worked so hard to earn our towns and county their reputation as wonderful holiday destinations. The return to normality will undoubtedly be slow and painful but if we individually and collectively do what we can for our own place then we will succeed in restoring a new and vibrant reality to Kerry.

When our new government is formed I believe that they should, at the appropriate time, initiate a national campaign on this vital matter,

Sincerely.

Michael Gleeson [Cllr]

Mayor Killarney Municipal District