Record number of visitors go wild at Fota

IRELAND’S wildest attraction has defied the recession to record its highest ever visitor numbers.

A total of 377,000 people visited Fota Wildlife Park in Cork last year — an 8% increase on the previous year — smashing its previous record of 361,000 set in 2007.

“I think the good weather last summer, the new M8 from Dublin to Cork, the new Fastnet line ferry service, cheaper accommodation, strong branding, regular events, good PR, effective social media and the baby boom in the park has grown our numbers,” said the park’s head of marketing Stephen Ryan.

The park celebrated the births last year of Rua the red panda, Aoife the giraffe, and Aifric the zebra.

It hosted a competition in April which saw eight people live in the park for a week to win €10,000 and a trip to Zambia.

And it beat off competition from big brands like Heineken and VHI to scoop the Grand Prix award at the Eircom spiders awards for its website.

It was praised for its use of social media like Facebook and Twitter to keep people up-to-date on news and events.

Fota now has 11,000 friends on Facebook and recorded 173,000 hits on its website last year, including hits from 140 countries.

Meanwhile, President Mary McAleese is due to officially open the park’s new €4 million entrance facilities in April.

The development includes new ticket booths, a gift shop, a cafe, a children’s playground and a new animal exhibit featuring the park’s newest residents the Mangabey monkey’s and meerkats.

The park will mark Valentine’s Day this weekend with a Romance in the Park event featuring live music, magic shows and a ‘love trail’ where couples can win breaks at the River Lee Hotel.