Connemara Greenway grant a boost for tourism

The Connemara Greenway this week received a major cash injection of just under €900,000 as one of two key Wild Atlantic Way projects identified for development by Fáilte Ireland.

The grant of €896,000 to Galway County Council will fund a new section of the route from Cloonbeg to Athry, running adjacent to Ballynahinch Castle, with an estimated completion date of next May.

The development is part of a wider plan for the Clifden to Oughterard Greenway that will link up with the planned Greenway from Galway city to Oughterard.

And that will ultimately result in a 78km Galway to Clifden Greenway offering a cycling experience of scale with international appeal for cycling enthusiasts.

A grant of €225,000 was also allocated to the OPW towards the development of new visitor facilities on the Great Blasket Island.

But the Connemara Greenway grant comes as a boost for the tourism sector in a week when local hoteliers admitted they feared the impact of Brexit on the local market.

Irish Hotels Federation Galway Branch chairman Shay Livingstone said that the concerns come at a time when many hotels and guesthouses were ‘still in recovery mode’.

The hotelier pointed out that tourism supported 15,000 jobs in Galway and contributes €506m to the local economy each year – but cautioned that continued recovery cannot be taken for granted.

“This (Brexit) comes at a time when the increasing cost of doing business in Ireland already poses a serious challenge for tourism businesses.

“While it is too early to predict the full effect that the decision will have on Galway tourism, there can be no room for complacency, particularly given the potential impact on visitor numbers from the UK and business levels within the domestic market,” he said.

Central Statistics Office figures showed an increase of 13.7% of overseas visits to Ireland during the first five months of 2016 compared to the same time last year.

And while it is too early to gauge regional statistics for 2016, last year saw the west welcome just over 1.4 million overseas tourists. The total tourism revenue stood at €7.3 billion for 2015.