A pulse survey by pollster Ireland Thinks reveals that 49 % of respondents are reconsidering overseas summer holidays because of Europe’s prolonged heatwave, Midlands 103 radio reports. Travel agents say bookings for domestic coastal and lake destinations have spiked, echoing the pandemic-era staycation boom. Ashling Moran of Polari Travel in Laois notes a 30 % week-on-week rise in car-hire and self-catering queries for August. Hotels in Kerry and Donegal are moving to peak-season pricing earlier than usual, while Irish Rail confirmed it will add extra services on the Dublin–Galway and Dublin–Westport lines to cope with weekend demand. For mobility and relocation managers, the trend may ease short-term pressure on Dublin Airport, where security queues topped 40 minutes last weekend, but it could tighten domestic accommodation supply for inbound assignees. Companies bringing staff to Ireland in July–August should secure temporary housing now and explore mid-week check-ins to sidestep tourist surges. Tourism officials welcome the domestic spend but caution that labour shortages in hospitality remain acute; Work Permit holders waiting for delayed IRP renewals (see story 1) make up a significant share of seasonal staff. If hot weather persists, analysts expect Irish staycation rates to exceed the pandemic peak of 52 % recorded in 2021.
Source: Midlands 103
