'Tourism-dependent' Kerry must re-invent itself after pandemic - report
Kerry is the county more dependent on tourism than any other and must re-imagine itself post-Covid-19 and diversify, according to a senior council official.
All workers in Kerry apart from the public sector will see significant drops in income in 2020 with sole traders among the worst affected, according to an independent assessment of the impact of the pandemic on Kerry and commissioned by the County Council.
The loss to those working outside of public administration, teaching and health, will be around 33% of individual income, according to the analysis by economist James Dorgan.
Agriculture, wholesale and retail also play a big role in the economy of Kerry and the estimated loss for 2020 will be in the region of €1bn.
However, “the key economic driver in Kerry is tourism”, it said. Some 14,000 people or one-in-five employed in the county work in tourism and the fall in income from will be 70%, it is estimated.
Tourism is seasonal in Kerry and with businesses shut since March there will be limited scope for recovery in 2020.
“In numeric terms the loss in incomes to Kerry in 2020 in respect of tourism and related industries could be €400m (approx. 70%) which is the equivalent of nearly 10% of total estimated Kerry household incomes,” according to the economic impact report based on cross-industry surveys conducted over the last weeks.
Population growth well below national average is also a feature and Kerry also has a higher proportion of elderly people. Currently the over-65s are equal to about 27% of the active age groups (15-65) in Kerry, while the state the figure in 2016 is 20%.
Michael Scannell, Director of Services Economic and Community Development with Kerry County Council, said the aim post-Covid-19 would be to diversify.
Several well known international companies are long established in Kerry, such as Liebherr, Fexco, Kerry Group and Astellas.
Newer technology companies like JRI America and Aspen Grove were also doing well, he said.
“Kerry is more exposed than any other county but companies like JRI and Aspen Grove have continued to operate safely,” Mr Scannell said.
The impact of Covid-19 would also influence the new county development plan, he said.
The aim would be to lure people working in apartments in Dublin and other cities to do so from Kerry instead, while there would also be a campaign to promote the county for remote working and provide satellite working hubs.
Government would also be approached for special supports for Kerry, given the impact of Covid-19, Mr Scannell told Radio Kerry.
