Accommodation shortages and high costs dominate tourism debate at Tipperary council meeting

Concerns about accommodation shortages, rising visitor costs and growing pressures from unmanaged campervan tourism dominated discussions during the January meeting of the full Tipperary County Council, as councillors questioned whether the county’s tourism ambitions are being undermined by a lack of supporting infrastructure.

The debate followed a presentation to councillors on the council’s tourism strategy, which focuses on sustainability, digital marketing and attracting visitors to rural and inland areas under national branding initiatives such as Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands and Ireland’s Ancient East.

While councillors broadly welcomed the progress being made in promoting Tipperary as a destination, many warned that practical constraints on the ground, particularly the shortage of accommodation, now posed a serious threat to future growth.
Cllr Roger Kennedy said the lack of accommodation across the county had become the single biggest issue facing tourism. He pointed to the loss of hotel capacity in recent years and asked how much this was holding the county back.

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He said the accommodation deficit was now “priority number one” and questioned whether there were concrete plans in place to address it.

Cllr Mary Hanna Hourigan also raised concerns about the impact of rising costs on visitors, particularly the cost of eating out. She said councillors were hearing repeatedly that visitors were finding prices increasingly difficult to absorb.

“There are very good restaurants all over Tipperary,” she said, but added that when visitors were paying €25 or €26 for a main course and additional costs for drinks, it was becoming a real issue, especially for international visitors.

Several councillors said they were hearing that visitors were increasingly opting for self-catering accommodation or shortening their stays as a result of cost pressures.

Cllr Seamie Morris said this trend was evident across the county and was having knock-on effects for local businesses.
He said many visitors were choosing to buy food in supermarkets and eat in their accommodation rather than dine out, reducing the economic benefit of tourism for towns and villages.

Cllr Liam Browne warned that unless accommodation and affordability issues were addressed, the county risked damaging its reputation as a welcoming destination. He said tourism businesses were making strong efforts to promote Tipperary, but those efforts needed to be matched by adequate infrastructure.

The issue of campervan and caravan tourism featured prominently throughout the discussion. Cllr Shane Lee said unmanaged campervan parking, particularly along lakes and in scenic areas, was becoming a serious problem.
He described the issue as being driven by a lack of accommodation and said it was now one of the most pressing challenges facing many communities.

Cllr Jim Ryan said councillors in a number of areas were dealing with complaints from residents about inappropriate campervan parking and pressure on local amenities. He said that while campervan tourism represented an opportunity for the county, it needed to be properly planned and supported by suitable facilities.

Cllr Seán Ryan echoed those concerns, saying there was strong local support for tourism development but that communities needed reassurance that growth would be managed responsibly. He warned that failing to provide designated facilities risked creating tensions between visitors and residents.

Council officials acknowledged the concerns raised and said a dedicated campervan and caravanning strategy was currently being developed, supported by external funding. They said the purpose of the strategy was to ensure that facilities were properly located and designed, rather than allowing ad hoc parking and unmanaged activity to continue.

Officials also outlined how visitor behaviour was changing, with shorter stays, later booking patterns and a growing emphasis on outdoor activities such as walking, hiking and wellness experiences. They said these trends highlighted the need for flexible accommodation options and appropriate infrastructure across the county.

Cllr Liam Browne said those changing patterns made forward planning even more important and stressed the need for councillors to see clear timelines and outcomes from strategies being developed.

Several councillors also expressed concern that accommodation shortages could limit the county’s ability to capitalise on recent international exposure.

They warned that while Tipperary had benefited from significant promotion, visitors would simply go elsewhere if they could not find places to stay.

Cllr Seamie Morris said there was growing frustration among businesses that were successfully attracting interest but struggling to convert that interest into bookings due to limited capacity.

In response, council officials said accommodation could only be promoted if it was registered and approved, stressing the importance of maintaining standards and quality assurance. They acknowledged, however, that this restricted what could be marketed in areas where supply was already limited. The discussion concluded with broad agreement across the chamber that tourism remains a vital economic driver for Tipperary, but councillors stressed that ambition must be matched by practical solutions to accommodation shortages, rising visitor costs and infrastructure pressures.

Further updates on accommodation delivery and the development of a campervan strategy are expected to be brought before councillors later in the year.