HOME BREAKS:HAGGLE FOR YOUR Irish self-catering holiday is the message this year, as the home holiday market tries to dispel its image as an expensive choice.
Failte Ireland’s director of regional development, John Concannon, says holidaymakers will see better value this year because of an expected reduction in overseas visitors, coupled with an increased supply of accommodation.
New Fáilte Ireland research has found that one in five people would consider cutting back on overseas holidays to save money, but only one in 15 thinks about cutting back on a home holiday. Concannon points to the large number of hotel offers in recent weeks and predicts that rental properties will also be more keenly priced.
He is encouraging people to shop around on the internet before booking a holiday. Fáilte Ireland has found that 53 per cent of Irish people use the internet to plan a home holiday while 22 per cent rely on brochures. But when it comes to booking the house or hotel, 57 per cent use the phone, which gives them an opportunity to haggle.
The Irish Self Catering Federation says house rentals can be “fantastic value”, particularly off season. Chairwoman Helen Cousins says houses vary from €650 to €1,000 per week at peak times. “This works out at about €20 per person per night,” she says. “Off season, the deals are astonishing. It’s a cost-effective holiday while not being the economic hair-shirt option.”
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