Clare's five-star Trump International Hotel & Golf Links in Doonbeg is expecting a banner 2017 after 2016 proved "the strongest year in the history of the property", according to Eric Trump, son of US President-elect Donald Trump.
Despite 2015 being "an amazing year for Trump Doonbeg", newly-filed accounts for Trump International Golf Club Ireland Enterprises Ltd show it recorded pre-tax losses of €2.5 million last year as gross profits fell by 11 per cent to €3.68m. However, the hotel was not operating at full capacity in 2015 and 2016 due to renovation work, reports The Irish Examiner.
The directors' report said that "annualized turnover will increase and that the company expects to report operating profits in the second half of 2016 and onward", while Eric Trump said there is "a tremendous amount of business already in the books" for 2017.
Eric Trump added that the firm has invested close to €25m into upgrading the resort in 2014 and 2015, and as a result of the revamped golf course "we have seen an extra 3,488 golf rounds, UK and European rounds are up 25 per cent over 2015 and we are budgeting a further increase in 2017 when golfers will reap the benefits of our redesigned course".
General manager Joe Russell commented: "The Trump brand is hotter than ever and business and Trump Doonbeg continues to perform exceptionally well. Our sales teams have been receiving an amazing reaction in the market from both domestic and international travel agents and incentive companies. On a local level we are experiencing great support, a fact borne out by the success of our recent Christmas market."
