Sir. - I read with interest the recent article on tourism. "Soft July". I have run a Bord Failte approved bed and breakfast in Rosslare Harbour for nearly eight years and certainly agree that it is harder to let rooms in July.
The reasons for this, without doubt, is the very high cost of faking a car to/from Britain during July and August. I have seen the return ferry fare with a car advertised across the English Channel at £79 return during this period, yet people travelling to Ireland are expected to pay £400 return. This fare is normally £208, and often even cheaper, in the winter.
This type of fare increase deters people from travelling during July and August unless absolutely necessary. With longer paid holidays, closure of factories hence the end of factory fortnight, people will naturally travel out of this eight or nine week peak season. We have been very busy off season, with most people citing their reason for travelling at that time as the good value of travelling off season.
Bord Failte and the Town and Country Homes Association have told us to remain competitive. I feel that B & B at £16 per person in an en suite room is very reasonable but we will not attract tourists with such ridiculously high boat fares. British people, in particular, can go abroad far cheaper than they pay to come to Ireland. If we want to increase tourism, we must reduce the fares. Cheaper air fares brought a boom in tourism to Dublin, despite an end of the IRA ceasefire. Price is the all important issue. Lets see a realistic ferry fare, so that the cost of travelling to Ireland is not prohibitive. Yours, etc.,
Rosslare Harbour,
Co Wexford.