Irish Tourism for 2014, what we can expect - radio interview with Marian Finucane, Feb. 1, 2014

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Going abroad on holidays has been to the forefront of our minds for the past month, but millions more of us holiday at home every year.  So what can we expect.....
The Gathering
Was a success with the best tourism year since 2008 with 6.986 million visitors and 7.2% increase and a strong finish for the end of the year. Visitors from the US were up by almost 14%.
The best part of the Gathering is the knock on effect. All the extra flights put in place last year are staying and new and extra flights have been added i.e. San Francisco, Toronto (3 airlines) United go double daily to New York, Every day there will be 25 flights per day into Ireland and 26 flights a  week from Canada.
At least two dozen new flights into Ireland from Europe will bring thousands of people in as well as giving us plenty of more places to go.  Shannon is really benefiting from Ryanair’s commitment to support the airport and has turned the corner and headed back into growth.
What this means for domestic tourism is pressure on accommodation.  If you are planning of taking holidays at home, booking early is going to be important.  Most visitors do stay in hotels. 
Giro d’Italia   -The Grande Partenza
200 of the world’s top cyclists will begin the famous race in Belfast on May 9 with two stages in Northern Ireland, one around the city of Belfast and then around the Causeway Coast, then to Armagh.  From there they come south through Dundalk, Castlebellingham, and Drogheda to take part in stages around Dublin city on May 11, lots of places for people to watch the race.
Wild Atlantic Way
We have been hearing about the Wild Atlantic Way for the past year but it is now a reality. 2,500 kms of the Irish coast have been signposted to draw you into discovering the longest coastal drive in the world. From Inishowen to Kinsale, the route has 159 discovery points with 15 signature discovery points such as Malin Head, Sliabh Liag, Keel Beach, Killary Fjord,Cliffs of Moher, Loop Head, Dursey Island, Mizen Head etc. the Miradors as they call them in Spain.  The route joins with the Causeway Coast at Derry and takes you all the way back into Belfast.
There a great booklet you can download, 50 Secrets of the Wild Atlantic Way, which has ideas of things to do from local people.
Festivals and fun
Ireland is famous for its festivals and this year is no different there are hundreds planned all over the country and for all types of fun.  The season already kicked off with the Temple Bar TradFest last week.  What I love about the festivals is that they are about Irish people having fun together and visitors are lucky if they stumble upon a festival.   See a list on discoverireland.ie there really is something for everyone from film buffs, book addicts, music lovers, dancers, walkers, talkers, surfers, cyclists, leprechaun hunters. 
Dublin as a destination
The Grow Dublin Tourism is a taskforce that is going to develop tourism to Dublin from outside and within the country.  It’s a long term plan over the next six years but each year there will be more and more investment in the city.  One of the newest investment announced this week is the plan for the establishment of the Teeling Distillery in the Liberties, where whiskey making was a local industry at one stage there were dozens fo distilleries in the city, not to mentions the dozens of shebeens..  The Guinness Storehouse has passed more than a million visitors every year.  The Teeling Distillery will open later this year and to visitors early next year.
Croke Park Classic
American Football game University of Florida vs Penn State on August 30 will be a chance for 80,000 odd people to see the best of US college football.
Value for Money
World’s Best bargain hotel is Castlewood House in Dingle as voted by  Tripadvisor’s Travellers Choice. The exit survey of visitors has seen  Ireland most from 29% in 2009 to 49% in 2013 in the Value for Money stakes.
Fairy trails
Not everything has to cost money and if you are in the Kerry area this year, why not visit the Fairy Trail in the Derrynane Woods.  Local lady Ginny Darrer, has a passion for fairies and she has placed little fairy houses around the woods for people to discover.  She has also made fairy trails in the woods at Parknasilla and at Adare Manor. See her Facebook Page, fairy trails of Ireland and irishfairytrails.com.