Bed & breakfast establishments, which once formed the engine of the Irish tourist industry, have fallen on hard times. While still attractive to visitors from the United States and Europe, they are being used by only five per cent of domestic holidaymakers and business has been dropping steadily.
In an attempt to rectify the situation, the Town and Country Homes Association has called on Fáilte Ireland to introduce compulsory licensing for all bed and breakfast establishments and to establish a quality grading scheme.
The proposal makes sense. Such a system would permit consumers to choose their level of home comfort and compare relevant prices. While prices may not vary dramatically within the sector, the quality of service, of personal attention and of comfort certainly does. The Town and Country Homes Association represents about half of all the bed and breakfast businesses that are formally registered with Fáilte Ireland. But between two and four times that number of properties operate on an unregistered basis and the standard of accommodation available and the service provided can be poor.
The association's report represents something of a pre-emptive strike, coming as it does during a comprehensive review of the sector that is being undertaken by Fáilte Ireland. The State-funded body has noted in a rather sniffy manner that the document will form a "useful contribution" to its own findings that will be published in three months time. It also observed that a lot more will be required if the B&B sector is to meet the needs of the 21st century tourist.
There are concerns that formal registration and tighter regulations may cause some establishments to quit the sector, because of income tax and other considerations. Such a development would obviously benefit the remaining, registered premises. However, Fáilte Ireland may not have the manpower or resources to inspect and to grade all the B&B premises involved annually.
Value for money is of primary importance. In order to be successful, tourism must provide an affordable and enjoyable experience. Overseas visitors have been shocked by the cost of eating out. That is why Fáilte Ireland is currently engaged in assessing the price of food and drink in pubs and restaurants. A similar exercise regarding quality and satisfaction levels in the declining B&B sector may be useful. Competition from local hotels, funded through tax breaks, has undermined the sector. In spite of that, a well-run B&B can offer visitors a more distinctive and close-up Irish experience.