The introduction of a tourist tax on Irish hotel beds could cause tourists to “look elsewhere” when booking holidays, Eoghan Corry has warned. 

Local authorities in the capital are preparing a submission for the Department of Finance, arguing that a levy on hotel beds would raise valuable revenue to offset the costs of tourism. 

Dublin City Council have estimated that a 1% tax on the price of a hotel room would raise €12 million. 

On The Pat Kenny Show, travel expert Eoghan Corry said there is “nothing new” about the concept of tourist taxes.

“The 1% [rate] generally sounds not very invasive,” he said. 

“But the experience of this worldwide is that it becomes more invasive and competitors look at each other. 

“If Scotland’s charging it, it wouldn’t be that big an impact; if it’s landing us in a situation… where it’ll cost €200 more per week for a family of four, that might put us in a position where people look elsewhere.” 

A hotel room. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Also on the programme, Green Party Councillor Janet Horner described the proposed 1% levy as “very modest”. 

“What we’re looking at in other cities, we’re seeing 7 or 8% hotel bed taxes,” she said. 

Cllr Horner added that tourist taxes have fast become the “standard and the norm across Europe”. 

“We need primary legislation introduced,” she said. 

“Our cross party delegation went to Paschal Donohoe about a month ago and we asked him to look at the primary legislation on this and look to introduce something along these lines.

“He said he was very open to it.”

Main image: An Aer Lingus plane on ground at Dublin Airport. Picture by: Alamy.com