16/08/2016
Hotel Industry Slammed For 'Ripping Off' Customers
The government should demand a sharp reduction in hotel prices or consider a change to the current industry VAT rate, according to Labour.
The party claimed the hospitality industry is beginning to rip off customers "as it did during the Celtic Tiger years".
According to figures from data analytics specialist, STR, hotel room prices in Dublin rose by almost 50% between August 2014 and July 2016.
Labour's Spokesperson for Urban Regeneration, Joe Costello, said "clearly the industry is hell-bent on killing the golden goose".
He also said that according to Price Waterhouse Cooper's (PWC), room revenue grew by 23.3% in 2015 and "is expected to be the highest of all European cities next year".
Criticising the industry, Costello said: "It is little wonder that the Global Web Summit which brought 30,000 wealthy visitors to Dublin in 2015 moved to Portugal in 2016 due partly to exorbitant bed and breakfast prices in Dublin's hotels.
"When the previous administration came to power in 2011, the hospitality industry was on its knees. To kick-start the industry again the Government reduced the VAT rate from 13.5% to 9%. "The measure was hugely successful and now the country has record tourist levels and our hotels are full. The reduced VAT is a loss of at least €600 million annually to the exchequer.
"However, the hospitality sector has not reciprocated by giving the customer a good deal. There is now absolutely no reason why the Government and the taxpayer should any longer support the hospitality industry and the hotels in particular through tax concessions. A lot of essential and hard-pressed services could be supported for our citizens if the full VAT returns were retained by the exchequer.
"At the very least the Government should demand a sharp reduction from the hotel industry or face the loss of 4.5% VAT reduction in the forthcoming budget."
(MH/CD)
The party claimed the hospitality industry is beginning to rip off customers "as it did during the Celtic Tiger years".
According to figures from data analytics specialist, STR, hotel room prices in Dublin rose by almost 50% between August 2014 and July 2016.
Labour's Spokesperson for Urban Regeneration, Joe Costello, said "clearly the industry is hell-bent on killing the golden goose".
He also said that according to Price Waterhouse Cooper's (PWC), room revenue grew by 23.3% in 2015 and "is expected to be the highest of all European cities next year".
Criticising the industry, Costello said: "It is little wonder that the Global Web Summit which brought 30,000 wealthy visitors to Dublin in 2015 moved to Portugal in 2016 due partly to exorbitant bed and breakfast prices in Dublin's hotels.
"When the previous administration came to power in 2011, the hospitality industry was on its knees. To kick-start the industry again the Government reduced the VAT rate from 13.5% to 9%. "The measure was hugely successful and now the country has record tourist levels and our hotels are full. The reduced VAT is a loss of at least €600 million annually to the exchequer.
"However, the hospitality sector has not reciprocated by giving the customer a good deal. There is now absolutely no reason why the Government and the taxpayer should any longer support the hospitality industry and the hotels in particular through tax concessions. A lot of essential and hard-pressed services could be supported for our citizens if the full VAT returns were retained by the exchequer.
"At the very least the Government should demand a sharp reduction from the hotel industry or face the loss of 4.5% VAT reduction in the forthcoming budget."
(MH/CD)
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Hotel Industry Must Moderate Prices - Labour
The hotel industry must moderate prices or face the loss of the special concession it has enjoyed since 2011, Labour Spokesperson for Urban Regeneration, Joe Costello, has said. Deputy Costello highlighted a recent study by Accounting and Advisory firm Crowe and Howarth, revealed a 30% rise in profits per hotel room across the country in 2015.
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SF Proposals On Tourism Are "Reckless And Irresponsible" - Troy
Sinn Féin's proposals for tourism in its alternative Budget 2017 are "reckless and irresponsible", according to Fianna Fáil's Spokesperson on Tourism, Robert Troy. Deputy Troy said plans by the party to increase the VAT rate on hotel beds are "dangerous" due to the "fragile state" of Ireland's tourism industry.
SF Proposals On Tourism Are "Reckless And Irresponsible" - Troy
Sinn Féin's proposals for tourism in its alternative Budget 2017 are "reckless and irresponsible", according to Fianna Fáil's Spokesperson on Tourism, Robert Troy. Deputy Troy said plans by the party to increase the VAT rate on hotel beds are "dangerous" due to the "fragile state" of Ireland's tourism industry.
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Special Tourism VAT Rate 'Huge Success' - FG
A special 9% VAT rate for the tourism industry has been praised as a "huge success" and credited with the creation of more than 30,000 jobs. Welcoming the news, Minister of State for European Affairs and Data Protection, Dara Murphy, said: "Tourism is one of Ireland’s largest industries, supporting over 200,000 jobs, and it’s rebounding strongly.
Special Tourism VAT Rate 'Huge Success' - FG
A special 9% VAT rate for the tourism industry has been praised as a "huge success" and credited with the creation of more than 30,000 jobs. Welcoming the news, Minister of State for European Affairs and Data Protection, Dara Murphy, said: "Tourism is one of Ireland’s largest industries, supporting over 200,000 jobs, and it’s rebounding strongly.
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Ireland WeatherToday:A sunny but frosty start for many. However cloud increases by midday with a few showers reaching the north coast, these mostly light but spreading inland this afternoon. Chilly. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A rather cloudy evening with scattered showers. Becoming drier through the night with some good clear spells developing and a patchy frost away from coasts. Minimum temperature 0 °C.