This article is from page 4 of the 2011-08-02 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
TOURISM concerns in Clare say there is some cause for optomism despite a season which has been a “very mixed bag” so far.
One of the definite success stories this summer has been the opening of the Loop Head Lighthouse attraction, which is already proving to be very popular with tourists, early figures showing that 700 visitors make their way to the iconic structure.
Sources in the Clare Tourism Forum also say there has been an upside to this season.
“The opening of new attractions plays an important role. The Loophead Lighthouse opening has had a tangible effect. There are 700 people a day visiting the lighthouse and that’s growing. You’re talking about a lot of people coming into an area and they don’t just visit the lighthouse and leave. They have coffee or lunch and they spend in other ways. Talking to people on the ground, it’s been a good July and the season is holding its own.”
And there is a renewed interest among anglers and country sports enthusiasts in coming to Clare, according to Teresa Browne of East Clare Tourism. Teresa has just returned from four days manning a stand on behalf of the tourism organisation at the County Livinging Association’s annual show, the biggest of its kind in the UK.
“The angling tourism business is really down in recent years but that said, there was a lot of genuine interest and enquiries at the CLA show.
“There was also a lot of genuine sympathy for the trouble we have been going through with the economy. I would hope that the feedback at the East Clare Tourism stand will translate into tourists coming here.”
“Anyone who is involved in the North American business is doing well but the Irish don’t seem to be coming out to play,” said Mid-West Hotel Federation chairman, Michael Vaughan. The Lahinch hotelier said that a new dynamic in the industry is seeing larger towns and cities getting the tourists at the expense of smaller places like Kilkee and Kilrush.
“In those places, business has been fairly flat and I’ve been speaking to a lot of B & B owners this week. They are really struggling. But that said, the US group market is doing well and September bookings are looking good. The extra flights with Delta and Continental have brought people in as well. Overall, I would say there has been a small lift and there is cause for optimism for next year.” he told The Clare People .