Cruise ships have ‘very big potential’ to boost tourism in mid-west

Jimmy Woulfe

The 25,000 tonne Saga Rose left port last night for Southampton on the final leg of a cruise around Britain and Ireland. Passengers spent yesterday sightseeing and going to visitor centres in the mid-west.

Shannon Foynes Port Company chief executive Brian Byrne said they were actively marketing the Shannon Estuary as an ideal stop-off for cruise ships.

“All these visitors spent a lot of money in the region. They had to get in extra supplies of whiskey at the Flying Boat Museum in Foynes for Irish coffee.”

The cruise ship market is a major growth area.

“More and more people are opting to go on cruise holidays rather than have the hassle of going in and out of airports. It’s a burgeoning market and our marketing manager, Martin Morrissey, is actively pursuing more of this cruise business for the Shannon estuary,” Mr Byrne said.

He expects to have a number of cruise ships berthing at Foynes in the coming months.

“They don’t generate much revenue for us as such as they are not taking on or discharging cargo, but they are a very big potential earner for tourism in the region and the locality as well,” he said.