Ireland cuts tax to promote tourism

Castles and reduced taxes make Ireland a great
 vacation option for Canadians this summer.

My friends over at Tourism Ireland - one of the best tourism organizations operating in Canada - sent out word today that the Irish government has introduced a new tourism inititative that will see the tax charged on tourism-related goods slashed from the current 13.5 per cent to 9 per cent.

That's great news for Canadian travellers who are looking for bargains in Europe to offset the strength of the euro versus the dollar. The Irish government announcement means cheaper prices at restaurants and hotels but the tax cut also extends to things like cinemas, theatres, museums, fairgrounds, amusement parks and sporting facilities like golf - all things that tourists like to do while on vacation.

Starting July 1 of this year, flights into Dublin will also be cheaper thanks to the elimination of the €10 (C$14) Air Travel Tax. Air Canada and Air Transat operate regional flights to Ireland.

Ireland is still basking in the attention it got from two high profile visits recently - the first by the Queen and then U.S. President Barack Obama (or O'Bama as the Irish like to call him).

Ireland was recently recognized as having the cheapest hotels and as being the cheapest country to visit in Western Europe in a survey by Hotels.com, which also rated Dublin as one of its “best-value cities”.

For more information on the tax reductions and other offers to Ireland, go to www.discoverireland.com/hotoffers