Flagship tourism firm reports €240,000 loss

THE mid-west’s flagship tourism company sustained pre-tax losses of almost €240,000 last year as visitor numbers continued to plummet in the region.

Shannon Heritage Ltd operates Bunratty Castle and Folk Park along with O’Brien’s Tower at the Cliffs of Moher and accounts just returned to the Companies’ Office show the Shannon Development subsidiary incurred pre-tax losses of €239,764 to the end of December last.

The losses follow pre-tax losses of €254,533 in 2008 and the returns confirm that last year, visitor numbers at the company’s attractions dropped 13% from 505,963 to 437,761.