INISHOWEN B&Bs are
benefiting from more than one million overseas
tourists who spend at least one night in an Irish
guesthouse during their holiday, research carried
out in Donegal shows.
The Ballyshannon-based Town and Country Homes
Association which conducted the survey, said the
figures confirm the importance of the B&B sector in
bringing tourists to the island.
Association chairperson Kate Burns said: "Our
figures show that the sector remains the most
popular form of accommodation outside of Dublin for
overseas visitors to this country. As such, it plays
a vital role in Irish tourism."
The report reveals that €304m was spent by overseas
tourists and people from both the Republic and
Northern Ireland staying in approved B&Bs.
“Three out of every four holidaymakers accord a very
satisfactory rating to B&Bs in terms of quality and
service - with only one percent expressing outright
dissatisfaction. "Indeed, the rating given to B&Bs
in terms of quality and service far exceeds that
given to medium grade hotels,” added Ms. Burns.
The sector is particularly popular among tourists
from America, Australia and Continental Europe while
one-third of overseas holidaymakers use B&Bs, the
findings reveal. "While one in four British
holidaymakers stayed at least one night in a B&B,
this proportion rises to 40% among Americans and
Continental European visitors. In fact, one in every
two French, Italian and Australian visitors spends
at least some of their time in Ireland in a B&B.”
The Town and Country Homes Association is an
all-island body with more than 1,200 members across
the regions.
For a list of local B&Bs,
click here . |
