The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
‘There’s huge interest heading into July 20’
WOODLANDS Caravan and Camping Park in Tralee is over 20 years on the go. Set up by Mike and Martina McDonnell in a green field site on the edge of Tralee in 1998, the park has attracted thousands of visitors to the capital over the years. Today, the park is run by Mike and Martina’s daughter, Jane Murphy.
While there is uncertainty over whether or not this year’s tourist season can be salvaged, Jane says there are encouraging signs as people desperately want to enjoy a staycation. Jane is optimistic for later in the summer.
“We’re getting a lot of enquiries and bookings, there’s a huge interest heading into July 20,” she says.
“There has been absolutely no interest from overseas visitors this year, it’s all been Irish interest. With the fine weather we’re having at the moment, it would have been the best season ever.”
She explains that camping and caravan holidays are ideally set up to help the sector re-emerge from the post-COVID climate: it’s outdoors, spacious, with visitors confined to separate accommodation.
“People just want to get away from it all, especially when they have their own caravan or motor home. There’s no safer way to travel this summer than in your own motor home. A lot of them even have showers and toilets, so all they need is a safe place to park up, which we can give them.”
Woodlands initially opened on St Patrick’s weekend, but the shutdown was announced within days. Typically at this time of year, Woodlands is busy with European and UK couples. It’s peak time for caravan sites, and Jane believes this sector should not be categorised the same as hotels under the government’s re-phasing plans. Moreover, no official guidelines have as yet been issued by Fáilte Ireland on what procedures to take once visitors are allowed through the gates on July 20.
“It’s such a pity that we’ve been lumped in with hotels as we can open sooner and provide proper facilities suitable to social distancing in our parks. We will be putting up signage and communicating with guests before they arrive and while they’re here,” Jane says.
“It’s a big challenge to come back and have all these extra things to consider having been closed for four months. In terms of the guidelines, from what I hear, we should have got them by now, but they’ve been delayed. We need them as we need to prepare our businesses.”
Lastly, even though Jane is looking forward to welcoming visitors back, she understandably has concerns with COVID-19 as people look to resume normal life.
“It is a worry thinking about what to do when we re-open again. People are in holiday mode after all, and the worry is that they might not remember what’s needed in terms of social distancing. But, for the most part, I would say people might be used to it by now,” Jane concludes.