Failte Ireland: 2022 Hotel Survey with a focus on STR’s Forward STAR

STR partnered with Fáilte Ireland, the Irish National Tourism Development Authority, in 2020 to provide the Authority with benchmarking services across Ireland. Prior to partnering with STR, Fáilte Ireland had been measuring hotel performance in the country since the 1960s. In 2021, the hotel survey was relaunched with this new partnership with STR providing Fáilte Ireland and its partners with valuable data and insights to support recovery and deliver long-term development of the hospitality sector in Ireland. For more information about the Fáilte Ireland Hotel Survey and for more information about how to enroll your business, please get in touch. The Fáilte Ireland Hotel Survey: The latest Summary Report can be accessed here.

As a supplement to this information, a case study of STR’s Forward STAR data with a spotlight on Dublin is provided. Forward STAR data provides a crucial view of the future and highlights the importance of events which can play a key role in attracting large crowds, in turn increasing the levels of bookings for hotels throughout the market. In this case study, we examine the 6 Nations rugby tournament, and the positive trends which can be observed in the destination over the period leading up to the games.

6 Nations Rugby: Spotlight on Dublin

The generally cold months of February and March in the northern hemisphere run hot during “Rugby’s Greatest Championship,” otherwise known as the 6 Nations. Six countries: Ireland, England, France, Italy, Scotland, and Wales face off through five rounds of play that starts in early February and ends in mid-March. In 2022, Ireland hosted three games total against Wales, Italy, and Scotland. For 2023, Ireland’s 6 Nations calendar included two home matches against France and England.

2022 (3 games at Aviva Stadium)

• 5-February Ireland v Wales
• 27-February Ireland v Italy
• 19-March Ireland v Scotland

2023 (2 games at Aviva Stadium)

• 11-February Ireland v France
• 18-March Ireland v England

STR’s Forward STAR data for Dublin, six months prior and three months prior to the fixtures, showed occupancy on the books growing steadily as each event moved closer to game day. Six months out, occupancy on the books for the 2nd round Ireland v France matchup was at 37.5%, and for the final Ireland v England game, occupancy was nearing the half-full mark at 49.2%.

Three months out, occupancy on the books for Ireland v France exceeded 60%, while Ireland v England on 18 March closed in on 80%. It is not surprising that this final match has garnered the greatest occupancy boost. The fact that the game takes place over the St. Patrick’s Day weekend is contributing in no small way to this increase.

Looking back on 2022 for comparison, similar boosts in occupancy on the books were observed, albeit at a reduced level given the country was still in the throes of the pandemic and reluctance to travel was a significant barrier. It should also be stated that Ireland hosted round 1 and round 3 in 2022 but round 2 in 2023. Ireland hosted round 5 last year in addition to 2023, and it is notable that by the time match 5 took place in 2022, Dublin hotels experienced almost full occupancy at 94%, which once again took place during St. Patrick’s festival week.

Comparing 2022 to 2023 reveals occupancy on the books is growing at a more rapid pace this year with round 2 in 2023 achieving actual occupancy levels (91.2%) close to levels seen in round 5 in 2022 (94.0%). At the time of writing, the greatly anticipated 2023 round 5 game, Ireland against England, has yet to be played, however, using the past as prologue, it can be said with some confidence that actual occupancy for round 5 could land very close to 100%.

Conclusion

Demand for significant events such as 6 Nations creates both opportunities and challenges in many destinations. It is extremely beneficial for hotels to anticipate the impact when large-scale events draw visitors into their destination and to plan accordingly.