Longford's Center Parcs posts record revenues of nearly €2 million per week

Operating profits at Center Parcs Longford Forest soared by 13% to €33.3m this year and they raked in nearly €2million in weekly revenues during a record year for the business.

New accounts filed by Center Parcs Ireland Ltd for the 12-month period to the end of April last revealed that revenues at the Ballymahon resort jump by 4% from €96.7m to €101m - or an average of €1.94m per week.

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The county Longford resort, which has an estimated value of €365m, had occupancy rates of 97.6%, a slight fall on the occupancy rates of 98.7% in the previous April 2023 to April 2024 period.

However, the occupancy rates were still marginally above those in their five UK holiday villages.

There was a jump of 14% in pre-tax profits to €11.1m after net finance expenses of €21.9m were accounted for.

Construction work began last year on a €100m expansion of the village as a total of 198 lodges, luxury treehouses, a lakeside restaurant and a coffee shop were added to the popular resort boosting the capacity to approximately 3,500 guests.

The Subtropical Swimming Paradise and Aqua Sana spa at Newcastle Wood, now also include a new treetop sauna and additional treatment rooms.

Center Parcs Ireland Ltd recorded an Earnings Before Tax Depreciation and Amortisation (EBITDA) performance of €42.8m, an increase of €4m recorded the previous year when it was €38.8m.

There were no dividends paid in the 2024-25 year by Center Parcs Ireland Ltd following a pay out of €152.7million in 2023-24
Center Parcs Longford Forest opened in 2019 and it is the British-based firm’s only Irish-based holiday village.

The company opened its first UK forest resort in 1987.

The directors' report outlined the Irish firm's RevPAL (Rent per available lodge night) increased from €298.80 to €303.32 this year and the Average Daily Rent (ADR) jumped from €302.86m to €310.81.

The Irish arm of the business accumulated a profit of €9.3m after tax despite also paying a corporation charge of €1.8m.

The staff at Centre Parcs Longford Forest reduced slightly by 33 people this year from 1,301 to 1,268 employees despite staff costs rising from €27.9m to €29.6m, a 6% increase.

Critical upgrade works are currently underway to upgrade the local water network and replace over 5.4km of aged water mains with new pipes from Carrickboy to Ballymahon to facilitate the resort's €100-million expansion.

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Local Fine Gael Councillor Paul Ross has said the necessary investment in key infrastructure must be prioritised in the area as the resort is taking more water and power out of the existing system.

The opening of Center Parcs in the county has also led to the extension of the Natural Gas Network to Ballymahon.

Center Parcs Longford Forest welcomed its one-millionth guest in November 2024 and it receives well over 100,000 visitors annually.