Wild Atlantic Way has created 35,000 jobs in the past decade

Killarney event to mark 10th anniversary of the route heard it was worth €3bn in domestic and foreign tourism to communities from Malin Head to Kinsale

Tourism Minister Catherine Martin, centre, with Miriam Kennedy, left, head of Wild Atlantic Way at Fáilte Ireland and Alice Mansergh, chief executive of Tourism Ireland, at the opening day of Meitheal at the INEC, Killarney. Picture: Valerie O'Sullivan

The Wild Atlantic Way is worth €3bn in domestic and foreign tourism to communities from Malin Head to Kinsale, an international tourism gathering at the Gleneagle Hotel in Killarney has heard.

Marking the 10th anniversary of the creation of the Wild Atlantic Way brand, the two-day event heard it had contributed to the creation of an additional 35,000 jobs in local communities, with tourism now supporting 121,000 jobs across the region.

“Domestically, the Wild Atlantic Way is our most popular region with 51% of all domestic tourism revenue being generated there,” Fáilte Ireland chief executive Paul Kelly said.

Tourism Ireland chief executive Alice Mansergh said about half of the €3bn earnings was from foreign tourists. "One of the challenges with the success of the Wild Atlantic Way was managing the numbers and spreading the numbers of visitors across the region and the seasons," she said.

While Dingle and West Kerry were congested — a one-way system has been introduced during the summer season on Slea Head to deal with traffic amid complaints locals are locked into their own homes during the summer because of traffic — the next focus and one of the objectives would see an attempt to have tourists visit Sligo, Donegal and the North-West.

Launched in 2014, the Wild Atlantic Way stretches for 2,600km from Cork to Donegal. Over the last decade, it has become a globally recognised tourism brand. Picture: Valerie O'Sullivan

It was also an objective to have people visit in the shoulder seasons rather than the peak summer season when hotels were 88% full. The route, launched during the economic downturn, winds 2,500km across nine counties. Tourism Minister Catherine Martin said the Wild Atlantic Way was now a household name.

It cements Ireland’s reputation as a must-visit tourism destination, and I commend Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland on their work in driving this success.

The details were discussed at Meitheal, the biggest travel tourism trade show for overseas business, which is under way in Killarney. 

Sixteen countries and markets are among the 241 international buyers who will hear sales pitches from almost 400 Irish tourism operators, from coastal ferry companies to historic gardens to golf to luxury hotels.

Overseas tourism now is worth €5.6bn to the Irish economy. Inbound travel to Ireland between 2013 to 2019 was up by 45% — well above the European average of 25%, Fáilte Ireland's Paul Kelly said.