A hotel manager in Co Clare says the decision to delay inter-county travel has cost the business around to €100,00 in recent days.
Ireland is now on level three restrictions, which means people should stay in their county apart from work, education, medical and other essential purposes.
This restriction is due to be eased from December 18th.
But Mark Nolan, general manager of the Dromoland Castle Hotel, says this is too late.
He told Lunchtime Live the few days difference means they have lost almost €100,000.
"We were hoping that we'd have the full opening of the country from the 2nd of December - that would mean that we could get business from everywhere, a core market for us at this time of year is Dublin.
"So that wasn't to be, and certainly in the last 48 hours that was reflected in our cancellations with people realising that they can't travel up until the 18th of December.
"We've seen quite a strong cancellation".
"In the overall terms it's not a huge bit, but it is quite more significant in the winter period when everything so much more counts" [sic].
Mark said there has been €50,000 worth of room cancellations, but this has essentially been doubled.
"The rooms cancellation was €50,000 and you can probably double that allowing for the food and beverage spend that we would have in the hotel.
"So probably it's near-double that loss in that short period of time.
"But it happened before when we had lockdown: you get an immediate reaction [when] people realise they're not going to travel, they're not going to go through the prospect of being stopped to ask them where they're going.
"Luxury travel, I suppose, doesn't come under an essential service in anybody's book".
Winter advertising
He said there has been "a little bit of a pick up", and some parts if the business have now re-opened - such as golf and leisure facilities.
The hotel is also opening on the weekends for local people until December 18th.
Mark added that bookings for January are "pretty strong", but this is on the basis that the status quo is maintained.
He explained: "I'm trying to work out: do I start my advertising campaign for the winter, when I might be closed from the 6th of January - the effect of the same lockdown having the same impact - of nobody travelling outside the county."
"You could easily lose €15,000 or €20,000 advertising to a marketplace, and suddenly find you're closed".
