A LEADING Donegal hotelier says having the DUP in the UK Government could help soften Brexit and help the county here.
Sandhouse hotel owner Paul Diver told the Irish Times that the support of the DUP for a Tory government could have a “positive effect” for Ireland.
Mr Diver, who is also the Donegal representative of the Irish Hotels Federation, predicted the DUP would not want a hard Border.
“Arlene [Foster, the DUP leader] is from the Border region. She has lived through checkpoints. She won’t want to go back to that,” he said.
Mr Diver said any slide in sterling would likely have little immediate effect on the hotels along southern side of the Border.
“The bookings are already made and this year is significantly up on last year. Despite the weaker sterling, the UK market is still holding up well,” said Paul.
Some within the Border tourism industry fear, however, that weaker sterling will hit short-break visitors from Northern Ireland, and tempt southern customers north across the Border.
