Galway tourism receives Olympic boost, says Hotels.com
By Martina Nee
Galway tourism has received a major boost in the run up to the London Olympics with figures produced by a popular hotel booking website showing a significant increase in the number of searches by UK travellers.
Figures released this week by Hotels.com has shown that a considerable number of UK residents are considering getting away from the extra hustle and bustle created by the London Olympics by making a trip to a number of locations in Ireland. According to Hotels.com interest in Galway has surged by 194 per cent during July 1 and July 16 compared to the same time last year.
Commenting on the figures, Seamus MacCormaic of Hotels.com, said: “This is a really positive sign for Irish tourism and will be welcome news for hoteliers across Ireland. While London 2012 is an excellent showcase for UK tourism, the Games are having a knock-on effect here with some in the UK opting to go on holiday during what will be a very busy time across Britain.”
“Ireland is increasingly offering better value to visitors, particularly as the British pound strengthens. Our latest figures from the Hotels.com Hotel Price Index show that we offer some of the best value in Europe with an average hotel price of €82 per night. In addition, Tourism Ireland is currently running an excellent campaign in the UK encouraging tourists to Ireland during the games and it would seem that their hard work is paying off.”
