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

O'Bama kicks off his Irish tour

You can bet O'Bama will pull a pint in an Irish pub.

Tourism Ireland is hoping U.S. President Barack O'Bama's - let's make the President truly Irish - visit to the Emerald Isle this week will help encourage more Americans to make travel plans to the prettiest patch of green in the world.

Ireland is where O'Bama has some firm family roots - it's the home of his great, great grandfather, and let's face it, with all its economic woes, Ireland needs all the help it can get.

I have no worries O'Bama will love Ireland - I'd rank it among the Top 10 places in the world I've visited.

He won't have much time there so he'll miss Lahinch, one of the loveliest towns I've ever set foot in and whose seaside golf course is legendary, and of course Gallway, my favourite place in Ireland.

Gallway is where Christopher Columbus left from to discover the New World and it has a great connection to the Kennedy family - former president John F. Kennedy visited Gallway when he was in the Oval Office. Gallway's Old Town with its ancient book stores and quaint fish and chip shops is a delight.

I'm not a big fan of Dublin - too rowdy - but I must admit its coloured doors and parks charmed me.

Irish security officials have been put to the test the last few weeks - the Queen left Ireland a few days before O'Bama arrived - but you can bet the U.S. President will get a warmer welcome.