Visitors will come if Irish tourism is bundled and marketed imaginatively

In the 1960s Ireland was a recognised ground-breaker in tourism development, creating renowned innovations from duty-free shopping to medieval banquets and even Irish coffee.

The Irish hospitality sector remained seriously undercapitalised, however, until the 1990s, when our then much loved fairy godmother in the EU waved her magic wand at Ireland’s tourism industry and bestowed upon us twin five-year aid programmes.

This windfall, along with tax breaks for hotel developments, contributed hugely to an improvement in the standard and range of our tourism offering, particularly in the hospitality sector.

Continuing long past their sell-by date to humour the building industry, the tax breaks led to a chronic oversupply of accommodation. Cut-throat competition then precipitated the closure of over half of Ireland’s B&Bs, before torpedoing many new hotels that were located away from urban centres.

The sharp decline in rural-based tourism led to an increased concentration of visitor spending in the major towns and cities.

When it came to attractions, we also tried to keep everybody happy and so spread our resources thinly.

A multitude of small museums and interpretive centres were created, with the vast majority attracting fewer than 10,000 annual visits.

Such custom-built attractions invariably carry the problem that repeat visits are difficult to achieve. Irish people may come once (at best) and afterwards the long-term outlook becomes extremely challenging.

Bricks and mortar

Our fascination with bricks and mortar continued, however, and at one stage led to proposals for interpretive centres in the heart of the Burren and the Wicklow Mountains.

Slowly we have woken up to the fact that expensive buildings aren’t needed to house new attractions telling the story of something that is best viewed in its natural state.

Much to fascinate and intrigue already exists in the Irish countryside, and all evidence shows that if it is bundled and marketed imaginatively visitors will come and very often repeat.

The Gathering was a good example of innovative thinking that harnessed, at relatively low cost, a latent pool of energy and goodwill in Irish communities.

The Galway-Dublin Greenway cycling route, which is at present being developed, is another laudable initiative making good use of what is already there – the Royal Canal towpath and a disused railway line.

And this year I was involved with the inauguration of Ireland’s first National Pilgrim Paths Day. Costing just €1,200 to initiate, it demonstrated a strong demand for authentic pilgrim path walking.

The Wild Atlantic Way is now the highest profile example of the new inventiveness in Irish tourism.

Aimed at building awareness of, and then imaginatively knotting together the horde of attractions speckled along Ireland’s western seaboard, it is such a masterfully simple concept that one might wonder why it wasn’t thought of previously. Nevertheless, it will only combat the increasing urbanisation of Irish tourism and the growing market share enjoyed by the Dublin region if it is promoted imaginatively.

Another possibility comes with Ireland's trinity of famous pilgrim mountains, Brandon, Croagh Patrick and Slieve League, that lie adjacent to the route. Could we develop a pilgrim-themed offering as a lodestone encouraging Irish visits from abroad of about one week to experience the Atlantic Way from Donegal to Kerry and ascend each of Ireland's sacred mountains enroute?

A pilgrim passport stamped on completion of each ascent would be required and a certificate of accomplishment could be presented to those successfully topping-out Ireland’s three most hallowed and timeless mountaintops.

John G O’Dwyer is the author of Pilgrim Paths Ireland, published by Collins Press