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Accommodation price hikes during Fleadh 'incredibly disappointing'

Michael FitzpatrickBBC News NI
BBC A man looks directly at the camera, he has dark hair, and a dark beard. He is wearing a black t shirt. BBC
Former Belfast Lord Mayor councillor Micky Murray said he is concerned the price increases would put tourists off visiting the city

A former Lord Mayor of Belfast has said it is "incredibly disappointing" that some short term lets have increased their prices by more than 100% during the week of the All-Ireland Fleadh in August.

Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann is the world's largest festival of Irish music and dance and has been hailed as the "biggest event ever planned in Belfast".

About 800,000 visitors are expected at the event from 2 to 9 August but concerns have been raised about the prices being charged by some Airbnb hosts.

A two-bedroom apartment on the Lisburn Road is being advertised at £5,645 for the week of the event. The same property is available for £2,644 at the start of July.

A woman in a brown vest is looking at the camera. She wears glasses and red lipstick. Behind her are marble pillars and an arched hallway.
Green Party Councillor Áine Groogan expressed concern that the high prices will put people off coming altogether

The price hikes were first reported in the Irish News.

Another two-bedroom apartment on the Ormeau Road is listed at £5,540 for the same week in August, more than double the price charged for a week at the start of July.

Alliance councillor Micky Murray said he is concerned the price increases would put tourists off visiting the city.

"In a week that we're showcasing the rich, cultural heritage that Belfast has to offer and celebrating the Fleadh Cheoil which is an All-Ireland festival bringing upwards of more than 800,000 people to the city."

"It feels like those who manage short term lets are taking advantage of tourists."

SDLP councillor Gary McKeown said it was important that visitors "go away with a positive experience".

"My concern is that if there's price gouging, that may leave a bad taste if people have the perception that they're being used for a quick buck."

"Whenever there are a lot of people coming into an area it means that prices generally go up, however whenever the prices go up astronomically and there's no model in place to regulate that for example and in particular around short-term lets, that's something that we have no management of as a city or as a region it's not good for tourism."

Green party councillor Áine Groogan said the Fleadh coming to Belfast is "an incredible opportunity for everyone in the city and it will have economic value and will be really good for businesses and we all want to see that, but within reason and i think this is really taking the hand".

A man looks directly at the camera. He is wearing glasses and a red plaids shirt. He has grey hair and light stubble.
SDLP councillor Gary McKeown said it was important that visitors "go away with a positive experience"

Professor John Lennon, a tourism expert at Glasgow Caledonian University, said price hikes around major event are "not new".

"We've seen it in events in places like the Edinburgh Festival where Edinburgh experiences significant demand during the months of August and budget hotels quadruple or even more, and average room rates exceed more than £1000 a night for relatively modest accommodation.

"So what you're seeing in your location, is just another example of that phenomena."

He said you "can't really blame an operator or a supplier who sees premium demand and wants to maximise".

A spokesperson for Belfast City Council said it is "working closely with local tourism authorities and providers to ensure there is a good range of accommodation options for all visitors to consider, and to reinforce a fair pricing message for the duration of the event".

"Fair pricing means people are much more likely to stay in the city for longer, and to return again in the future, enabling everyone to maximise the benefits of this event in the longer term," they added.

What is the Fleadh Cheoil?

Getty Images Musicians in a circle, playing instruments including a banjo and fiddles.Getty Images
Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, the All-Ireland Fleadh, is held for a week during August

Fleadh Cheoil is an annual Irish arts festival and competition run by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (CCE) - the society of the musicians of Ireland.

The organisation was founded in 1951 by traditional musicians and Gaelic culture advocates from across Ireland.

They sought to enhance traditional Irish music, dance and language in Ireland.

Each year CCE hosts numerous fleadhanna (festivals) across the island at county and provincial level.

In oversea regions where fleadhanna are also held they are sometimes known as "Féilte".

The best-known of these festivals is Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, often simply known as the Fleadh.

A spokesperson for Tourism Northern Ireland said: "Accommodation pricing is an important issue and Tourism NI, along with partners, continue to work with the tourism industry to reinforce a fair pricing message.

"Over pricing has the potential of long-term lasting impacts and could affect the image and reputation of Northern Ireland as a destination. Current legislation limits do not provide any powers for Tourism NI to set or cap prices or control the volume of properties."