Georgina Campbell: There is time, energy and money to be saved by staycationing – here are my five top tips Maybe your holiday plans are still open, or you’re considering short breaks in the coming months, but the phrase “rip-off Ireland” keeps ringing in your ears. Well, over-charging does happen – events-driven rates-hiking in Dublin, for example, where occupancy levels are always high. But Ireland is not unique in this.
And, while it is undeniably an expensive country, there is always value to be found. Pricewise, it’s similar to last summer, but the industry challenges have shifted to operating costs, partly relating to unhelpful Government policies such as raising the VAT rate to 13.5 per cent.
Most people in hospitality are just trying to stay in business – rip-off it is not, and they’re doing everything possible to encourage bookings. A memorable and reasonably priced Irish holiday is very achievable and aiming high in terms of quality and the experience really can pay off Perhaps we need to recalibrate how we think about value. We’re still in a cost-of-living crisis and money is tight, especially for families, but the cheapest options can be a false economy.
We all know how the “cheap” sun holiday can work out expensive when the extras are totted up – and, especially if travelling through Dublin Airport, the hassle factor is high. Think of the time, energy and money to be saved by staycationing instead – and, as we learned in the pandemic, wh.