It Looks Offaly Nice – Londoners Head for Ireland to Escape the Olympics

It’s just over a week to go until the Olympics get underway, but while the rest of the world has its eyes on London, the locals are getting cabin fever – and heading for Ireland!

Search figures for Hotels.com have shown that many UK residents couldn’t care less about one of the biggest sporting events in the world happening on their doorstep, and instead are planning to skip the madness and spend some time in good old Eire.

Searches by UK travellers planning a getaway to our fair isle have increased considerably in the past fortnight, and the number one destination? Offaly.

Yes, Offaly. Searches for Offaly hotels are up 637% compared to the same time last year, perhaps due to the Obama effect. The capital had to settle for second place, up 476% in searches, while Carlow and Clare increased by 474% and 438% respectively.

So if you haven’t managed to bag tickets and a flight for the games yourself, the midlands looks like an ‘Offaly’ nice place to tune in with the London locals.