Tower closure hits mid-west tourism figures

VISITOR numbers to tourist attractions in the mid-west took a substantial hit last year, mainly due to the temporary closure of a historic stone tower.

Shannon Development, responsible for tourism in the mid-west, disclosed in its annual report yesterday that visitor numbers to day attractions fell to 562,000 from 620,000 in 2005.

Company spokesman Frank Larkin said the drop resulted from the closure of O’Brien’s Tower at the Cliffs of Moher during the construction of the new €31.5 million visitor centre, due to open on February 2.

Mr Larkin said: “We would have had about 80,000 visitors to O’Brien’s Tower, going on previous figures. If you were to compare like with like, between 2006 and 2005, we had an increase of 3.5% in visitor numbers, taking in the loss at the tower.”

Shannon Heritage — the Shannon Development tourism subsidiary — said it was one of the best years in recent times, with 1.7 million visitors to the mid-west who spent €407m. Shannon Heritage employs up to 300 people, many on a seasonal basis.

Shannon Development chief executive Kevin Thompstone said: “Record numbers of visitors attended last year’s calendar events devised by Shannon Heritage at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park.”

Meanwhile, work on a new tourist attraction has got underway in south-east Limerick, where Ballyhoura Rural Tourism is building a 90km mountain-bike trail.

At a cost of €1.2m, it is the first purpose-built trail of its type in this country.

Shannon Development said it could have international appeal. It is expected the trail will be completed by the end of the year.

Last year, Shannon Development teamed up with other tourism promotion agencies along the west and staged promotion campaigns in Britain and the US costing €1.2 million.

Shannon Development has also participated in the drawing up of the Mid-West Tourism and Economic Development Plan.

Mr Thompstone said the implementation of this plan by Government was important to ensure Shannon Airport sustains and grows transatlantic services in the Open Skies regulatory regime.

The plan also calls for a special fund to market Shannon in overseas markets.