Wild Atlantic Way delivers tourist boom to West region

This year is set to be the busiest tourism year for overseas visitors since records began with the Wild Atlantic Way drawing tourists west earlier in the season and encouraging them to stay longer.

Official figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show the best January to July period for foreign tourists, with more than 5.4 million arrivals, representing an increase of almost 13% – 612,400 additional overseas visitors when compared with the first seven months of 2015.

July alone recorded more than one million arrivals from abroad.

There have been increases across the board from all regions of the world, with an 8% rise in trips from Britain, reaching just over one million. Visits from other European countries also tipped just over the million mark.

Americans are increasing their number of trips to Ireland the most, with a 13.3% increase in those who travelled this year.

While figures are not broken down regionally by the CSO for many months, all anecdotal evidence points to a very strong year so far, underlined Fiona Monaghan, head of the Wild Atlantic Way in Fáilte Ireland.

“Just past the January blues there was an increase in visitor numbers and September and October are looking very, very strong,” she told the Connacht Tribune.

“There was a mix of domestic and overseas tourists – the international visits started arriving from March and April, so they’re coming earlier and staying longer than ever before.”

The big jump in visitors west of the Shannon is down to a combination of elements which all aligned for 2016 – the Wild Atlantic Way touring route is now luring independent tourists to travel longer distances in hired cars; there has been an increase in air access from key markets and the favourable exchange rates is drawing more Americans.

“We’re cautiously optimistic that 2016 will see the largest number of overseas visitors ever to the west with national figures showing tourist numbers will break the eight million mark for the first time since 2008,” exclaimed Fiona.

“We’re finding that tourists are booking their first and last nights but are not committing to bed nights in between – they want to be fluid and see what appeals to them while on the Wild Atlantic Way.

“They’re spending two to three nights in Galway and using it as a base to see the Burren, Connemara and the Aran Islands. The challenge we have is to get them to stay in more peripheral areas and during the shoulder months.”

While welcoming the continuing growth in visitors, Galway hoteliers have sounded a note of caution that the effect of Brexit and the weakness in sterling need to be monitored so that the sector can plan for potential negative impact.

Paul Gill, vice president of the Irish Hotels Federation and manager of the Claregalway Hotel, said there has been a real sense of optimism in Galway this summer season with more visitors on the ground.

Tourism generates €506 million in Galway and supports 15,000 jobs.

“However, Brexit is a significant concern with sterling having fallen by more than 16% against the Euro compared to this time last year. This could have a negative knock-on effect for our local tourism industry,” he warned.

“The 9% VAT rate in particular has been of major significance to the industry. This has brought our VAT rate into line with other European destinations and helped level the playing field for tourism businesses to compete for visitors. This has led to increased visitor numbers and also allowed tourism business in Galway to create additional employment whilst reinvesting revenues in the sector.”

Loughrea Municipal District Cathaoirleach Jimmy McClearn lashed out at Fáilte Ireland at last week’s meeting for ignoring East Galway in all their marketing campaigns.

“We have to renew and reinvigorate our efforts to come up with some strategy for East Galway – we’re in a no man’s land as we’re not part of the Ancient East or the Wild Atlantic Way. It’s not good enough we’re being ignored.”

Fáilte Ireland is currently conducting a review of the body’s Lakelands and Inland Waterways strategy, which includes Portumna on Lough Derg.