'Nothing could have prepared us for how popular the brand became' — Developing the Wild Atlantic Way

Since its launch a decade ago, the Wild Atlantic Way has  become one of the great successes of modern Irish tourism

Head of the Wild Atlantic Way at Fáilte Ireland Miriam Kennedy: 'The Wild Atlantic Way route has become iconic in a relatively short space of time, and so it tends to generate a lot of interest internationally as to how we managed this.' Picture: David Ruffles

Since its launch a decade ago, the Wild Atlantic Way has become a household name all over Ireland and across the world. 

Supporting more than 80,000 jobs, it has become one of the great successes of modern Irish tourism. 

Fáilte Ireland will officially mark the 10th anniversary of the Wild Atlantic Way at Meitheal 2024, its annual flagship trade event taking place in Killarney next month, organised in partnership with Tourism Ireland, and providing Irish tourism businesses with the opportunity to promote their experiences and products directly to international buyers and tour operators. 

“To highlight the impact of the Wild Atlantic Way and its ambitions for the future, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland will run a high-impact media campaign for 2024,” explains Miriam Kennedy, head of the Wild Atlantic Way at Fáilte Ireland. 

“This campaign will showcase the diverse range of tourism businesses in operation and thriving throughout the region, while also inspiring visitors to #KeepDiscovering the area. 

Errigal Mountain in Donegal: 'The regions where it has had the most transformative impact are in the north-west, where counties like Mayo, Sligo, and Donegal saw considerably more tourists once it was launched.'

"We will also launch a new toolkit with marketing materials and brand assets to help businesses mark the amazing range of things to do along the Wild Atlantic Way.” 

Ms Kennedy was appointed to the role in 2018 following more than 15 years working in international business tourism and events in the public and private sectors. 

Based in Galway, she is responsible for the overall development of the Wild Atlantic Way and works closely with industry partners, stakeholders, and communities to create sustainable and resilient destinations.

In 2019, one million more international visitors came to the Wild Atlantic Way than in 2014. 

"As a development agency, we’ve continued to invest in the Wild Atlantic Way from visitor attractions to towns and villages to smaller visitor experiences, all of which make up the colour and fabric of tourism on the west coast.” 

Like all Fáilte Ireland experience brands, the ‘brand’ was rigorously tested with potential domestic and international consumers before it was launched: “We knew from the get-go that it had fantastic appeal for domestic and international visitors, and our colleagues in Tourism Ireland did a brilliant job at using the brand as a motivating reason for international visitors to come to Ireland, and specifically to the west. 

"The simplicity and the authenticity of the brand resonated strongly with our communities and industry partners, who really embraced it and made it their own. In saying all of this, nothing could have prepared us for how popular the brand became so quickly,” she adds. 

Garnish Island in West Cork:  In the southern half of the Wild Atlantic Way — covering Galway city to Kinsale — where tourism has always been a big driver of employment, Fáilte Ireland has focused on making the brand work as hard as it can for the whole region

“It was a great example of what can be achieved when communities, industry and public agencies all work together to a common goal and we’ve taken it as the blueprint for how to best develop destinations with the needs of the visitor, the industry, the community and the environment all balanced appropriately.”

With Ireland’s west coast traditionally popular for its stunning scenery and an authentic cultural offering, the Wild Atlantic Way has re-imagined this offering and packaged it in a new and exciting way for visitors.

“The regions where it has had the most transformative impact are in the north-west, where counties like Mayo, Sligo, and Donegal saw considerably more tourists once it was launched. 

"It has had a powerful economic and social impact on the towns and villages in those areas where new and existing businesses have benefited.” 

In the southern half of the Wild Atlantic Way — covering Galway city to Kinsale — where tourism has always been a big driver of employment, Fáilte Ireland has focused on making the brand work as hard as it can for the whole region. 

An important part of this is bringing visitors to the lesser-known areas, giving them reasons to slow down and spend more time exploring and really engaging with all that we have on offer in all parts of every county. 

"We currently have three looped drives — the Burren Discovery Trail, the Shannon Estuary Way and the Mulroy Drive — which entice visitors off the beaten track and deeper into the region. We are continually working with industry partners on and off the route to make their experience the best it can be.” 

The Wild Atlantic Way has helped create an economic driver for the west coast through the numerous businesses it has spawned, everywhere from surfing to walking and cycling. Picture: Denis Minihane

Fáilte Ireland also employs high-impact domestic marketing campaigns to promote the off-peak, which has been very successful in lengthening the tourism season, making it more economically sustainable for all businesses on the west coast.

In addition to the significant tourist traffic it has generated, the Wild Atlantic Way has helped create an economic driver for the west coast through the numerous businesses it has spawned, everywhere from surfing to walking and cycling, in addition to visitor attractions, retail outlets, craft stores and coffee shops. 

“It also made existing businesses more economically sustainable as the tourism season has lengthened and we have seen this particularly in counties like Cork and Kerry. We know money spent in tourism businesses stays and circulates in local communities. 

For every euro spent by a visitor, 72c stays in the Irish economy and 23c comes back to the exchequer to pay for public services. And of course, tourism creates jobs like no other sector can, in regions and amongst communities that many other sectors cannot reach.

Given how successful the Wild Atlantic Way has become, other countries have taken notice of this Irish success story, and are seeking to emulate it in their own territories. 

“The Wild Atlantic Way route has become iconic in a relatively short space of time, and so it tends to generate a lot of interest internationally as to how we managed this,” Ms Kennedy explains. 

The beautiful Burren: Fáilte Ireland works to entice visitors 'off the beaten track'.

“Countries like Sweden and Denmark, who have scenery not unlike ours, as well as British Columbia in Canada, have all been on study trips to Ireland to learn about the process in creating a route like this and no doubt, we will see similar type routes created in the years ahead. 

"That said, I am confident the Wild Atlantic Way will continue to be the benchmark.” 

As part of its recent tourism research, Fáilte Ireland asked businesses ‘what do you think 2024 will look like?’ Most businesses are predicting it will be better than 2023, with 44% expecting visitor numbers to be up this year. 

“As well as a strong domestic market, tourism businesses are expecting to see increased visitor numbers from overseas and we are set to have the highest ever air access capacity this year, with levels above both 2019 and 2023.”

Meitheal takes place on April 11 and 12 at the Gleneagle INEC Killarney, Co Kerry.