Hotel owners hope for summer boost from ‘staycation’ guests

Ahead of a seminar designed to explore ways to boost the profitability of hotels during difficult post-pandemic trading conditions, NI Hotels Federation (NIHF) president Stephen Meldrum described the current business climate as “turbulent,” and added: “Escalating fuel costs have had an impact on all sectors.

“Put simply that means it is now more expensive to put food on a plate in a restaurant or to serve a drink. Equally, the rise in the price of utilities has had consequences for all businesses, and hotels are no exception. The Northern Ireland hotel industry had a strong summer trading period last year with a growth in staycations.

“We are hopeful that this is a trend that is set to continue. The challenge in terms of balancing the need to cover increasing operational costs can be met through growing customer loyalty and providing personalised experiences that add value.”

Tickets for the event at Clandeboye Lodge, Bangor on May 17, which is supported by Tourism NI, can be booked via the Federation’ website www.nihf.co.uk