Tourism in
Leitrim is better than ever and this week the Leitrim Observer spoke to Ciara Maxwell, Marketing Manager at The Landmark Hotel who said that, while the hospitality industry is facing numerous challenges, the appetite is there for staycations and mini-break.
When asked why she believed the family-run hotel is doing so well, Ms Maxwell told us, "I think Leitrim is the heart of the Hidden Heartlands."
She said that the hotel is "ahead of where we were in terms of pace. A lot of people are booking more in advance than they had been previously."
She said that people are more price conscious and it's all about finding balance at the minute. "Everything has gone up; we're trying to absorb costs like minimum wage and VAT; the supplier costs are literally going up week on week."
However, the hotel is continuing to thrive which Ms Maxwell said she believes is done to its location.
"Leitrim is becoming a destination and has some incredible attractions now. You have the Shed Distillery which really put us on the map as well as the surrounding areas such Lough Key and Strokestown House. Leitrim in comparison to a lot of other counties and well-known cities; we are very reasonable and you are getting more bang for your buck."
She said that one drawback is the lack of accommodation. "We have only 49 bedrooms. If we had twice that, we'd probably sell them especially at the weekend."
She said the domestic trade is the hotel's biggest market. "Even the families who go abroad for a week, still do a weekend away in Ireland so instead of going to the usual spots like Galway, Wexford, Westport etc., I think now Leitrim is becoming more attractive. You have loads to do; loads of indoor and outdoor activities and that's what I love about Carrick and Leitrim in general; there is something for everybody; for the families, the groups, the couples, the party animals and the hens and the stags, which I'm a big fan of. A lot of people you meet in the hotel are back with their families because they were here on a stag or hen do. It definitely creates repeat business."
She continued that social media has been a game changer in terms of getting the hotel's name and services out there. "TikTok, quick videos, reels and showing the personalities behind the business is what really resonates with people. You can put up a lovely, pretty video of your bedrooms, food and you do get engagement but if you put up some videos of some of the staff, people love that because they love to see the face behind the business."
While hospitality staff figures have seen a sharp decline of late, Ms Maxwell said that. "It's a very easy industry to work your way up in whether you want your career to be in food and beverage or HR or accountancy, sales or marketing and events; you have so many different careers within a hotel."
She continued that hospitality got "such a bad name during Covid and was the one industry that got shut down repeatedly" however she said the life experience you gain through the job is priceless. "It's the different opportunities, the different hierarchies and the different nationalities; you just meet so many different people and that really stands to you when dealing with people in general."
She added: "At this time of the year we are always looking for seasonal staff, reception staff and there are career opportunities."
PJ and Denise Rigney, co-founders and owners of The Shed Distillery at the home of Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin said that business is up a significant 15% across The Shed Distillery Visitor Experience, the Honeybadger Bar, the Jackalope Cafe and the Curious Gift Shop.
They said, "This is so important as we're up, despite the uncertainty leading to a falloff in tourism. We're working harder than ever and continuously innovating and elevating our offer. We are open seven days a week - that's across the board, including the Jackalope Cafe and the Honeybadger Bar."
They continued that they have created a whole new calendar of "unique and engaging events for the summer- coming up this month we have pizza evenings in the bar and we're also serving Irish-made draft lager and stout from Changing Times in the bar, tapas and 'tails, creative workshops including charm bracelets, floral artistry and lots more."
They collaborate with many local businesses including La Belle Fleur, Joe Mooney Summer School events including the big barbecue and the former Methodist Church now offers a unique event space.
They added: "We are very grateful to the local community for their unwavering support; they are always up at the Jackalope Cafe, the Curious Gift Shop and bringing their visitors to The Shed Distillery Experience. Our team is exceptional and especially now it is really essential to be resourceful, think smartly and creatively and we all have to work harder to meet the current global challenges head on."
Philip Coughlan, Carrick Self Catering Accommodation, also said that he noticed the more people coming to the town. "Bookings are up this year, definitely; the mid-week bookings and the family bookings, definitely compared to other years. I think people may be less inclined to travel due to safety and the heat. Also Carrick is offering a lot more now in terms of activities and restaurants etc. It's becoming more widely known and you can definitely see it's more busy for the summer."
Mr Coughlan added: "It's also down to people working in the area as well. The value for money is far better down here than other places. If you look at accommodation prices, they are very competitive. It's also an accessible location."
Pamela Ruddy from the The Courtyard Apartments said that business is steady at the moment. "We've had three good weeks in July. When the Joe Mooney Summer School is on, with the lack of accommodation around Drumshanbo, we do get a lot of families staying with us for that week."
Brenda Kelly of Carrick Golf Club said that bookings are up with families and first time golf players. "It's mainly down to the good weather, improvement works we've done on the course - we've done some drainage works and word is getting out on that. The driving range is doing very well."
Ms Kelly said that various competitions are run at the club to encourage new members. "We get a lot of families in and also a lot of young people ever since Rory McIroly won The Masters."
