Ireland as a tourist destination!

wyndham · 12-06-2012 06:37PM

Clareboy wrote: »

I have often wondered why anyone would want to spent ( or waste ) their hard earned money coming to Ireland as a tourist or holidaymaker.

First of all, we have a lousy climate. Now I know people do not come here for the weather, so it is not such a big issue.

The most off putting aspect about travelling in Ireland is the high cost of travel, food and accommodation, when compared to our target markets of the UK, USA and Western Europe.

Our once beautiful countryside has been ravaged by uncontrolled housing developement of the most ugly, vulgar and inappropriate styles.

Public transport is a joke or non-existant throughout large areas of rural Ireland.

Our once famous ' Cead Mile Failte ' and friendly banter has been considerably watered down with the employment of vast numbers of foreign nationals in the hospitality sector.

Many villages lack such basic facilities as a public toilet, coffee shop, children's playground or bus shelter.

Our motorways and main roads do not have picnic sites or service areas and we all know the reason for that.

Why would anyone want to visit Ireland?

Any visitors out there who would like to enlighten me!

RTE News wrote:

A new report has found that Irish hotels offer some of the cheapest places to stay in Western Europe with the average hotel room rate at €79 a night.

The report from Hotels.com found that rates have fallen 4% year-on-year. The survey also found Kilkenny is the most expensive destination in Ireland, while Waterford is the cheapest.

The average room rate in Ireland is now €79 compared to €82 in 2009, and is now back to 2004 levels. This makes Ireland the least expensive destination in Western Europe and the fourth most inexpensive in Europe.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0321/hotel-business.html

mikemac1 · 12-06-2012 06:38PM

Deleted User wrote: »

It's just a pity that the young Irish who could be working in the hospitality industry see it as something other people do. Well, unless they go to Australia for a bit.

People in hospitality get treated like dogs

You'd earn more and get more respect from working in McDonalds. They are recognized as a good employer

You make it seem that Irish people won't work in hotels, well who was doing these jobs before mass immigration?
Do you think all young people are lazy?

There are so many employment abuses from Irish managers in hotels pretty much any other job is preferable.
Tesco is another decent job

Nodin · 12-06-2012 06:38PM

SMASH THE UNIONS wrote: »

I don't understand what you mean by the part in bold. Can you elaborate? Are you referring to the Prime Time Investigates programme earlier this year which exposed the endemic problem of Nigerian taxi drivers sharing license plates, working while cliaming the dole and embracing the Irish "cute hoor" way of life?

...............

So a few Nigerians are not only representative of all Nigerians but all "Foreigners" ?

wyndham · 12-06-2012 06:40PM

Clareboy wrote: »

Our motorways and main roads do not have picnic sites or service areas and we all know the reason for that.

What is the reason for that?

SMASH THE UNIONS · 12-06-2012 06:45PM

DB10 wrote: »

Plenty of young Irish work in the Hospitality sector, they do where I live anyway.

I must say its not like they are crying out for workers, I asked around last week and most are full for the summer for employment.

Where do you live? Even when I visited the most remote little pub on one of the Aran Islands I was served by a foreigner. They have displaced the Irish worker EVERYWHERE.

Tourists come over with an outdated Darby O'Gill vision of Ireland in their head, and then this is shattered when they are confronted with a clueless Chinese chap at the shop till who barely speaks English (but he's here on a student visa :rolleyes: ). Anybody been to any of the Carroll's Irish Gift stores lately? They seem to hire exclusively Spanish and Italians. I actually wrote to their store HQ in the past asking why this is the case. I have yet to receive a reply. The image is farcical - Pablo and Roberto selling our tourists Guinness glasses, shamrock keychains and postcards of the Liffey.

I said it before and I'll say it again

mikemac1 · 12-06-2012 06:46PM

wyndham wrote: »

What is the reason for that?

Our nomadic friends will take them over boss

Those that do exist have barriers at a height to stop caravans getting in

af_thefragile · 12-06-2012 06:46PM

Americans love Ireland.
Lots of them around Wicklow, Kerry, Claire, Galway and all...

I like a few places in Ireland but after a while it all starts to look kind of the same... Green hills, bogs, some cliffs and sea...

Though maybe I would say the same if I was living in Alaska, after a while its just snow, mountains, the odd forests and wildlife...

Nodin · 12-06-2012 06:50PM

SMASH THE UNIONS wrote: »

Where do you live? Even when I visited the most remote little pub on one of the Aran Islands I was served by a foreigner. They have displaced the Irish worker EVERYWHERE.

Tourists come over with an outdated Darby O'Gill vision of Ireland in their head, and then this is shattered when they are confronted with a clueless Chinese chap at the shop till who barely speaks English (but he's here on a student visa :rolleyes: ). Anybody been to any of the Carroll's Irish Gift stores lately? They seem to hire exclusively Spanish and Italians. I actually wrote to their store HQ in the past asking why this is the case. I have yet to receive a reply. The image is farcical - Pablo and Roberto selling our tourists Guinness glasses, shamrock keychains and postcards of the Liffey.

I said it before and I'll say it again

Odd, as only over a third in the "hotel and hospitality" sector were born outside Ireland in 2006....
http://www.cso.ie/en/newsandevents/pressreleases/2007pressreleases/2006censusofpopulation-volume7-principaleconomicstatusandindustries/

SMASH THE UNIONS · 12-06-2012 06:51PM

Nodin wrote: »

Odd, as only over a third in the "hotel and hospitality" sector were born outside Ireland in 2006....
http://www.cso.ie/en/newsandevents/pressreleases/2007pressreleases/2006censusofpopulation-volume7-principaleconomicstatusandindustries/

It's currently 2012, horse.

Nodin · 12-06-2012 06:53PM

SMASH THE UNIONS wrote: »

It's currently 2012, horse.

You've updated statistics? Excellent. Lets have a look at them.

Rented Mule · 12-06-2012 06:54PM

Sure...Ireland would be a great country, if it weren't for the natives.

SMASH THE UNIONS · 12-06-2012 06:56PM

Nodin wrote: »

You've updated statistics? Excellent. Lets have a look at them.

CSO stats collected last year have not been published yet, pal. Doesn't mean I'm going to use outdated stats to feebly form an arguement. There have been dramatic changes in the country in the last few years, as you know.

Regarding the 2006 stats...a third of our hospitality workers were foreign born :eek: Alarm bells should have been ringing. They are shocking stats. Foreign hotel receptionists, foreign bar men, foreign waitresses, foreign maids. The Céad Míle Fáilte died a long time ago.

Biggins · 12-06-2012 06:57PM

Rented Mule wrote: »

Sure...Ireland would be a great country, if it weren't for the natives naive.

Now ya got it!

Sergeant · 12-06-2012 06:59PM

SMASH THE UNIONS wrote: »

I'd be very shocked if I arrived in a rural British town and was overwhelmingly surrounded by Brazillians (think of tiny Gort in Co. Galway).

You aren't "overwhelmed" with Brazilians when you go to Gort. The numbers there have dwindled, and even when there was a larger population, they integrated excellently. Maybe you should visit the place sometime, instead of using it as an example of your misguided, and sinister beliefs.

SMASH THE UNIONS · 12-06-2012 07:02PM

Sergeant wrote: »

You aren't "overwhelmed" with Brazilians when you go to Gort. The numbers there have dwindled, and even when there was a larger population, they integrated excellently. Maybe you should visit the place sometime, instead of using it as an example of your misguided, and sinister beliefs.

Are you sure you're in the right thread, pal? Nobody is talking about integration. That is all well and good but the crux of the matter is the Brazillians aren't Irish and never will be. Tourists don't come here to meet Brazillians.

The King of Moo · 12-06-2012 07:02PM

SMASH THE UNIONS wrote: »

Where do you live? Even when I visited the most remote little pub on one of the Aran Islands I was served by a foreigner. They have displaced the Irish worker EVERYWHERE.

Tourists come over with an outdated Darby O'Gill vision of Ireland in their head, and then this is shattered when they are confronted with a clueless Chinese chap at the shop till who barely speaks English (but he's here on a student visa :rolleyes: ). Anybody been to any of the Carroll's Irish Gift stores lately? They seem to hire exclusively Spanish and Italians. I actually wrote to their store HQ in the past asking why this is the case. I have yet to receive a reply. The image is farcical - Pablo and Roberto selling our tourists Guinness glasses, shamrock keychains and postcards of the Liffey.

I said it before and I'll say it again

Major tourist destination ≠ remote.

ScumLord · 12-06-2012 07:05PM

SMASH THE UNIONS wrote: »

I don't understand what you mean by the part in bold. Can you elaborate? Are you referring to the Prime Time Investigates programme earlier this year which exposed the endemic problem of Nigerian taxi drivers sharing license plates, working while cliaming the dole and embracing the Irish "cute hoor" way of life?

Yes there's those lads, plenty of English, Scottish and Welsh, but just as many Poles and Brazilians have decided to settle here and before you say it's for dole I can see them coming and going to work everyday. All nice people and have plenty of Irish friends.

As for the British and the Americans regarding multiculturalism - I'd be very shocked if I arrived in a rural British town and was overwhelmingly surrounded by Brazillians (think of tiny Gort in Co. Galway).

Gorts not like that, more nonsense.

SMASH THE UNIONS wrote: »

Where do you live? Even when I visited the most remote little pub on one of the Aran Islands I was served by a foreigner. They have displaced the Irish worker EVERYWHERE.

Which pub? Because I was on the Aran Islands a few months ago and I was served by the owner of the pub an Irish man. You'll be shocked to hear the skipper of the boat was a French man though.

You seem to be a magnet for foreign people, maybe in real life you seem more friendly and approachable.

ScumLord · 12-06-2012 07:08PM

SMASH THE UNIONS wrote: »

That is all well and good but the crux of the matter is the Brazillians aren't Irish and never will be. Tourists don't come here to meet Brazillians.

That's what the Mayans said about the Spanish and sure they're all Mexicans now so I suppose your right.

SMASH THE UNIONS · 12-06-2012 07:08PM

ScumLord wrote: »

Yes there's those lads, plenty of English, Scottish and Welsh, but just as many Poles and Brazilians have decided to settle here and before you say it's for dole I can see them coming and going to work everyday. All nice people and have plenty of Irish friends.

Serious amount of red herrings and strawmen being thrown around. Welcome to debating 101 lads. I'm sure the foreigners are nice people but they are not Irish which is what tourists want to see. It's like going into an electronics store to buy a new dishwasher and getting offered a laptop. The laptop is great and very useful, but it's not what you came to buy.

ScumLord · 12-06-2012 07:12PM

SMASH THE UNIONS wrote: »

I'm sure the foreigners are nice people but they are not Irish which is what tourists want to see.

Who cares what the tourists expect to see this sin't Disneyland, it's a country just like any other.

SMASH THE UNIONS · 12-06-2012 07:15PM

ScumLord wrote: »

Who cares what the tourists expect to see this sin't Disneyland, it's a country just like any other.

The tourists care what the tourists come to see. They are not happy being greeted and served by foreigners for their whole holiday, hence tourists numbers are down. Most people get only one holiday a year, and Americans especially pay alot of money to come here. I'd be píssed off if this "New" Ireland was my destination.

Sofiztikated · 12-06-2012 07:21PM

Visitor numbers are down. Big f*cking shock there.

If you'll look too, trips made by Irish abroad are down as well.

It may surprise you to know that people don't have as much money to spend on foreign trips.

G'way with your bolix xenephobia. I work in the hospitality industry, and we are constantly looking for staff. The only ones that seem to consistantly come in and present themselves very well, are "furriners".

SMASH THE UNIONS · 12-06-2012 07:30PM

Sofiztikated wrote: »

Visitor numbers are down. Big f*cking shock there.

If you'll look too, trips made by Irish abroad are down as well.

It may surprise you to know that people don't have as much money to spend on foreign trips.

G'way with your bolix xenephobia. I work in the hospitality industry, and we are constantly looking for staff. The only ones that seem to consistantly come in and present themselves very well, are "furriners".

More lousy debating tactics by Boards.ie users. You try to paint me as a racist neanderthal for highlighting tourist feedback on Ireland's hospitality industry. Talk about shooting the messenger. By the way, you spelt "foreigners" wrong.

Clareboy · 12-06-2012 07:48PM

wyndham wrote: »

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0321/hotel-business.html

You call €79 per night for a hotel room cheap! Last year, I stayed in a hotel in the centre of Madrid for €30 for a single en-suite room!

Clareboy · 12-06-2012 07:50PM

wyndham wrote: »

What is the reason for that?

Because the Travellers would turn any roadside picnic sites or lay-bys into filthy roadside encampments as every Irishperson knows!

Nodin · 12-06-2012 07:58PM

SMASH THE UNIONS wrote: »

CSO stats collected last year have not been published yet, pal. Doesn't mean I'm going to use outdated stats to feebly form an arguement. .

...you'd rather base it on anecdotes. Wonderful.

ScumLord · 12-06-2012 08:02PM

SMASH THE UNIONS wrote: »

The tourists care what the tourists come to see. They are not happy being greeted and served by foreigners for their whole holiday, hence tourists numbers are down. Most people get only one holiday a year, and Americans especially pay alot of money to come here. I'd be píssed off if this "New" Ireland was my destination.

Would you get upset if you went to America and it wasn't full of people dressed as cowboy or Indians? Or if everybody in China couldn't do kung fu, maybe you'd get upset if you saw a Mexican eating a McDonald's?

Ireland isn't just a tourist attraction, if people came here expecting to see Angela's ashes then their idiots.

PrincessLola · 12-06-2012 08:14PM

SMASH THE UNIONS wrote: »

Where do you live? Even when I visited the most remote little pub on one of the Aran Islands I was served by a foreigner. They have displaced the Irish worker EVERYWHERE.

Tourists come over with an outdated Darby O'Gill vision of Ireland in their head, and then this is shattered when they are confronted with a clueless Chinese chap at the shop till who barely speaks English (but he's here on a student visa :rolleyes: ). Anybody been to any of the Carroll's Irish Gift stores lately? They seem to hire exclusively Spanish and Italians. I actually wrote to their store HQ in the past asking why this is the case. I have yet to receive a reply. The image is farcical - Pablo and Roberto selling our tourists Guinness glasses, shamrock keychains and postcards of the Liffey.

I said it before and I'll say it again

So what if Ireland has changed since the 50s?

We have changed as a country and as a people and if any American tourists have a problem with that they can f*ck off. I'm glad their illusion of a leprachauns and Guinness has been shattered, it was an ignorent illusion in the first place.

Also, you sound racist, In fact you probably are a racist. Go ahead and whine about 'PC gone mad', but you are treating foreign nationals the same way Irish people were treated when they got off the boat to America.

SMASH THE UNIONS · 12-06-2012 08:19PM

ScumLord wrote: »

Would you get upset if you went to America and it wasn't full of people dressed as cowboy or Indians? Or if everybody in China couldn't do kung fu, maybe you'd get upset if you saw a Mexican eating a McDonald's?

Ireland isn't just a tourist attraction, if people came here expecting to see Angela's ashes then their idiots.

You just don't get it, do you? More strawmen. Is that an offense against the charter, mods? I don't expect to see leprechauns and fair maidens dancing at the crossroads in Ireland. I expect to see Irish people.
I don't expect to see men riding around on bikes with berets and baguettes in France. I expect to see French people.
I don't expect to see cowboys and Indians in America. I expect to see Americans.

Is my point getting through to you? If you respond with more strawmen I will ignore you. I suggest you look up the term if you aren't familiar with it.

Nodin · 12-06-2012 08:22PM

SMASH THE UNIONS wrote: »

You just don't get it, do you? More strawmen. Is that an offense against the charter, mods? I don't expect to see leprechauns and fair maidens dancing at the crossroads in Ireland. I expect to see Irish people.
........

As it seems the majority of those employed in the Hotel and restaurant industry are Irish, then there'll be little trouble in having that expectation met. Unless, of course, you can produce figures that suggest otherwise.

Ireland as a tourist destination!

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