Tipperary tourism ‘being held back’ by shortage of hotel beds
The lack of tourist accommodation in Tipperary is a “serious” problem, according to a number of local representatives.
At the January meeting of Tipperary County Council, councillors were given a presentation on tourism in the county, and the activities that are ongoing to attract tourists into the county.
Tourism activator Mairead Winters and Damien Ginty, the council’s director of services for economic development briefed councillors on the county’s tourism objectives.
Following the briefing, a number of councillors pointed out the serious lack of accommodation across the county, which is impacting on the county’s ability to keep tourists in the area.
Fianna Fáil councillor Roger Kennedy said that a lot of hotels in the county had been taken over for other uses, and asked if there were any talks ongoing with hotel providers to set up in the county.
"One thing that we’re lacking all over county Tipperary is accommodation, we’ve been hit very badly with the amount of accommodation that is being taken from us, particularly in the hotels, and used for accommodating either Ukrainians or International Protection applicants (IPAS),” Cllr Kennedy said.
In Tipperary, Roscrea’s Racket Hall hotel has been used to accommodate IPAS clients, as well as Dundrum House Hotel, which started off housing Ukrainian refugees, but is now an IPAS centre. Both hotels were the subject of sustained protests.
"How much is that holding us back?” Cllr Kennedy asked?
"Are there any plans for extra accommodation facilities to be opened in Tipperary, or are there any consultations going on with hotel groups to have extra accommodation in the county,” he asked?
Last year, Tipperary was voted one of the world’s best destinations to visit in 2026 by Lonely Planet, who celebrated the county’s hiking, food and history offerings.
Agreeing with Cllr Kennedy, Fine Gael councillor Mary Hanna Hourigan said that even trying to find a place in Tipperary to host a large conference had proved difficult.
"We have a serious issue in my own district, Tipperary-Cahir-Cashel in relation to bednights,” Cllr Hourigan said.
"I am organising a function and I’m looking at Clonmel now because I have not a hotel in our district that I can bring a large conference to, and I couldn’t get beds in a number of hotels in the county,” she explained.
“Because of the lack of hotels, we’re not holding the people that we’re working so hard to bring in to our county. Coaches are bypassing Tipperary, they’re stopping on the Dublin road to take a picture of the Rock of Cashel and they’re moving on, they’re not coming to Tipperary,” she added.
In response to the councillors, Mairead Winters said that Tipperary isn’t unique when it comes to accommodation struggles.
"It’s not a unique issue to Tipperary, and in terms of conferences as well, we have started to use our academic facilities like TUS Clonmel, for example, for holding large conferences and they can stay in nearby accommodation,” Ms Winters said.
“In my role as tourism activator, I hold business clinics and last year I had over 60 business start-ups come to me and the majority of those were for accommodation development,” she said.
Ms Winters added that the council would continue to support accommodation start-ups as part of its long-term tourism strategy.