Kerry hoteliers have been urged to ask their political representatives why electricity prices in Ireland are 20 per cent higher than across Europe and why those involved in the hospitality sector are paying one of the highest rates of VAT.
The questions were posed by the President of the Irish Hotels Federation, Michael Magner, who was a guest at the annual Kerry IHF branch ball in the Great Southern Hotel, Killarney on Thursday night.
He said the cost of doing business in Ireland far exceeds any other country in Europe and those questions need to be answered as the political parties set about the task of forming a new government.
Pictures: Marie Carroll O’Sullivan
“It does not make sense to me. Our government has a responsibility to protect the hospitality and tourism industry, as well as agriculture which is also an indigenous industry, to ensure we are here for the long run,” said Mr Magner who owns the Vienna House Hotel in Cork.
“If business drops we can’t reposition out hotels into other countries where there is more demand and where it is easier and less expensive to do business.
“The VAT rate and the cost of doing business needs to be reconsidered and government policy needs to put a proper framework in place for our industry,” the IHF President said.
Mr Magner said there is also a need for proper access to the Training Development Fund to help people working in the hospitality industry to develop and flourish in their roles and to help attract people from other industries into tourism.
He said Ireland also needs to be promoted outside of the traditional markets of the United Kingdom, Europe and North America and there needs to be more of a focus on Asia and Australia and other emerging markets to target the tourists of the future.
Over 230 guests enjoyed the lavish IHF Ball – one of the social highlights of the year – and they were treated to a sumptuous banquet before the danced into the early house to the sounds of the Ian Hendrick Band.
The banquet featured starters of a wild game terrine or wild garlic, kale and leek soup, a Muckross Gin and lemon sorbet and a main course choice of a fillet of wild beef or a pan fried fillet of hake.
Staying with the Evergreen theme of the evening, the imaginative and hugely creative dessert comprised of a chocolate log with panna cotta petit champignon, chocolate bark, mango gel and vanilla ice-cream.
The white wine on the night was an organic Spanish Blanc de Pacs and the red was an Argentinian cabernet sauvignon.
The after dinner drink was a Jameson Black Barrell whiskey.
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