Tourism and business interests in Kerry, among them the Kerry football manager Mr Paidi Ó Se, have warmly welcomed the Ryanair decision to shift the bulk of its service to Hahn in Germany from Shannon to Farranfore.
The daily service from Kerry will be "an opportunity to grasp" especially for tourism interests, Mr Peter Bellew, spokesman for Kerry Airport, said.
Broader industry - there are a number of large German industries in the area such as Liebherr in Kerry and Kostal in Abbeyfeale in west Limerick - would also welcome the daily German flight, he said.
Mr Ó Se, who is also a Bord Fáilte director, said German visitors had been noticeably down in west Kerry in particular over the past four years. He welcomed the Ryanair decision.
Ms Kathleen O'Reagan-Sheppard, secretary of the Kerry branch of the Irish Hotels Federation, described it as "a tremendous boost" to Kerry's tourism industry. Beginning in April, it would be in time for the tourism and conference season. She welcomed the service being retained in the west. There were already many links between Germany and the south-west, and the German people had "a special fondness for Kerry", she said.
