Scenery and friendly welcome lure tourists back to Dingle

Half of the people surveyed during a visit to Dingle Peninsula said they would recommend it as a holiday destination.

The Fáilte Ireland study also found 28% said they would definitely return, while it emerged the rugged scenery was by far the main source of visitor satisfaction with the peninsula.

Almost 90% said scenery was the main attraction, followed at 66% by the friendliness of the locals.

However, the need for visitors to have their own transport also emerged clearly in the 2013 summer survey, with 40% using hired cars, 34% their own cars and only 6% public transport.

The internet was the most important source of information for visitors to Dingle, with 83% saying they had checked it in advance.

As regards accommodation, half stayed in either a hotel or B&B, with 41% eating in restaurants and 36% in pubs.

A similar survey on the Ring of Kerry found 22% of visitors surveyed said they would come back, with the scenery and friendly locals again the main reasons.

But, transport to and within the busy 180km route were negative factors for the tourists taking part in the study.

Again, most stayed in hotels and B&Bs and dined in restaurants and pubs.

Recent publicity arising from the Star Wars filming on Skellig Michael is expected to boost visitor numbers to the Ring in the coming years, as are the development of a 26km greenway for cyclists and an international stargazing project.

Commenting on the survey, Fáilte Ireland said the findings should be used by those in the trade to improve the service they provide.

This year, the number of visitors to Ireland is reported to be up by 10%, with many areas, including Dingle, enjoying an excellent season.

“If we are to ensure that the current growth rates are sustainable, we need to ensure that we are providing the right type of holiday experience, particularly for the overseas markets,” a Fáilte Ireland source said.

Meanwhile, Killarney is also enjoying a bumper season, with local hotelier Michael Rosney saying it’s possibly the best year since the Celtic Tiger disappeared.

Mr Rosney, who is spokesman for the Kerry branch of the Irish Hotels Federation, said the hotel sector in the county was on an upward curve.