Hotel & Restaurant Sector 

Up to 40,000 weddings expected next year due to backlog from pandemic 

Business Post – 13.06.2021 

Up to 40,000 happy couples could get married next year, twice as many as would normally be the case in a typical pre-pandemic year. According to an analysis by the Business Post, a backlog of 20,000 weddings from last year and this year could result in demand for 40,000 weddings next year, potentially creating an unprecedented situation for the country’s wedding industry. 

Hospitality industry pushes for earlier date for indoor dining reopening plan 

The Irish Times – 05.07.2021 

Representatives of the hospitality industry are pushing for a plan for the reopening of indoor hospitality to be agreed before the Government’s July 19th target date. The Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) are arguing that this should happen so they can prepare for the expected resumption of non-essential international travel on that date and the prospect of a return of tourists. The Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) have also said their view is that July 19th is the date pubs should be reopening, so a plan must be in place earlier. The Cabinet agreed to prepare a plan – which could include the use of digital passes indicating if someone is vaccinated – by July 19th but gave the hospitality industry no indicative date for when they could open.