A decade ago, Fáilte Ireland, unveiled its innovative and ambitious tourism offering at a promotional event, not realising that it was just at the start of an extremely successful journey. The Wild Atlantic Way, a captivating promotion for 2,600km of untamed landscape that extends along the entire western seaboard, was devised as a response to the economic collapse. The aim was to safeguard the profitable Irish tourism industry, which was feared would be drastically affected by the economic downturn.
Miriam Kennedy, the head of the Wild Atlantic Way, revealed in later years that the economic crisis had wreaked havoc on tourism in the western part of the country. So, rather than persuading individuals to visit just one location, why not encourage them to explore an entire region? Today, a decade later, this remarkably effective marketing strategy is estimated to stimulate approximately €3 billion a year in related earnings.
Despite early criticism, the commercial success speaks for itself. It’s impressive to think that such vast numbers resulted from an initial investment of a mere €10 million by Fáilte Ireland, declared in February 2014. The organisation’s “futuristic vision for tourism” as labelled recently by Catherine Martin, the Minister for Tourism, aimed to significantly expand the industry. It initially included 500 tourist sites, 580 fiestas, 17 trails, and 50 circular routes. Prospective tourists around the globe were lured by stunning imagery of the Cliffs of Moher and lush, verdant meadows.
Regardless of what it encompasses now, the overwhelming success of this tourist project has generated approximately 35,000 jobs, according to an assessment by Fáilte Ireland shared during the scheme’s anniversary week. As unrelenting as the rugged Atlantic ocean, this attraction continues to draw tourists – last year, the route saw a two million increase in visitors from its inception.
“There was an immediate sense of optimism and the feeling of participating in something much greater,” commented Karen Coakley of Kerry Food Tours, “stretching from Donegal’s tip right down to the outermost point of west Cork. It instilled a sense of inclusion and connection.”