Most countries have taken a step back and started to evaluate what they plan on doing with this new normal situation because of Covid 19. This has been a question from the day the lockdown started easing. The industry that took the worst hit was the tourism industry.
Ireland has taken a significant step towards a return to normality with the easing of some Covid-19 restrictions. Hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses and self-catering accommodation are welcoming guests again. Among the hotels reopening was the Fitzwilliam Hotel in Dublin. Fergal O’Connell, general manager of the city Centre hotel, said staff were excited to welcome guests back. “It’s been a tough six months, so we were looking forward to getting our doors open again and welcoming them back. We have been getting ready for two weeks. It’s a big day and we have been looking forward to it.”
Mr O’Connell further quoted that “We haven’t had substantial bookings with international travel still being closed, so it’s a big disadvantage to us in Dublin city Centre. There has been a good support of bookings but not like last year, I imagine it will be a challenging summer for city and urban hotels. We are looking forward to get our international tourists back again into Dublin city Centre once we get the airports open. The Irish domestic market will give us some business but it won’t replace everything. The staff have been looking forward to it. Thanks to Government supports we have been able to retain them. Six months of sitting at home and being unsure of everything has thankfully come to an end.”
It was not only Mr. O’Connell that was excited about the hotel opening up as Sebastian Cieplonski the front house manager also quoted it is “big day. We are all excited and though it will be a slow one, with the weekend coming we are expecting more people to come. It’s slow and steady but we are getting there.”
