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CLARE COUNTY COUNCIL is to pay consultants around €300,000 to draw up a strategy for the country’s most popular natural visitor attraction, the Cliffs of Moher.
The local authority has confirmed to interested parties in tendering for the contract that the indicative cost of the Cliffs of Moher Strategy 2040 is €300,000.
The council is commissioning the work after the local authority admitted that the existing visitor facilities at the Cliffs of Moher “strains to be fit for purpose” and are ‘now rather overwhelmed’ during peak times with visitor numbers projected to increase to almost two million by 2025.
Already this summer, the council has put in a number of measures aimed at easing visitor congestion at the Cliffs of Moher.
This includes the launch of a shuttle bus service in late June and the council stated on Thursday that the service “is getting good usage”.
Director at Clare County Council, Leonard Cleary said that to date in 2019 “visitor numbers are on par with last year’s numbers. Last year we had 1.6m visitors and indications at the mid-year point are that numbers are holding their own”.
Cleary said that “visitors are responding to our new policies and spreading their visits across the day rather than peak hours at mid-day”
Former President of the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) and Lahinch hotelier, Michael Vaughan said that the crowds going to the Cliffs of Moher currently “are overwhelming”.
He said: “At 1.6 million, it is at the peak of what is sustainable. I believe that the Cliffs operators should take a leaf out of the Giants Causeway and put in place two or three visitor points.
“The approach to managing the visitor numbers needs something entirely different and the starting point of the consultants who are appointed to carry out the work should be the views of local landowners.”
Vaughan said that a visit to the Cliffs for many tourists travelling the Wild Atlantic Way “is a ticking the box exercise”.
It is now 12 years since the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience (COMVE) was opened at a cost of €30 million.
However, in the tender documentation the council makes the case for additional visitor infrastructure at the Cliffs stating that existing systems at the CoMVE are ‘sub-standard’ and that the attraction “is a victim of its own success”.
The council points out that the infrastructure and arrival facilities at the site were originally designed and constructed for a visitor population of 400,000, which now numbers 1.5m and which is projected to rise to almost 2m by 2025.
The tender documentation for consultants to prepare a Cliffs of Moher Strategy 2040 state: “The infrastructure and facilities necessary to cater for this projected level of population increase need to be planned for and put in place now.
It adds: “The existing systems are now sub- standard and make increasingly difficult the delivery of a world class visitor experience.”
The council critique of the existing facilities state that “visitors are put off by queues at all service points, toilets and restaurant. At times visitors may not be able to gain entry to the visitor centre due to the crowds”.
The council state that the facilities “are at capacity from February through to the end of October” and this is due to the geographical location of the Cliffs of Moher, its functioning as a coach tour lunch time stop and the concentrated volume of visitors.
In the tender documentation, the council states: “The challenge is to deliver a world class visitor experience utilising best practice visitor management and environmental management principles to ensure the future of the natural assets is safeguarded and conserved as well as minimizing any adverse effects on the quality of life for those who live in the area.”
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To be fair, Enterprise Ireland also deserve a lot of credit helping Irish companies grow internationally
Credit where credit is due
CREDIT. Credit got us into this shit!
We have a corporate tax rate lass than half the European average, surely it can’t be so hard to attract foreign direct investment.
Large commercial decisions are not made on only one criterion. We have a supportive open economy, relatively we are low on corruption and bribery, we speak English, are well-educated, and have yankee sympathies.
That also helps…
Another example of an overly simplistic view of our Corporation tax System. Have a look ..,. http://www.ronanlyons.com/2011/05/17/just-say-non-the-facts-on-corporate-tax-rates-in-europe/
to be reaaly fair, the taxpayer who funds both of them deserves a lot of credit also, most of whom derive little benefit
Eh, jobs?
jobs for a small number of citizens at a big cost to other taxpayers but the real scandal is the tax that the companies dont pay, its a neat trick but ask the people who have been dumped when the taxpayer funded Grants run out
Gerry. You are a cretin. For every job the State saves on Social Welfare and earns income taxes etc. That doesn’t even include the plethora of indigenous companies that feed off IDA companies. The positive ratio of investment to return with the IDA has been definitively proven. Would you ever educate yourself about the subject you’re pontificating about before commenting. My eyes are sore after reading your rubbish.
Fair play and well done IDA for a job well done. Keep up the good work!
I’m happy the Guardian mentioned the terrific work of the IDA – which is good PR for Ireland. But as for Jedward (2 grown up men acting like 11-year-old girls) – not so good.
Ah here now, 11 year old girls aren’t as bad as those clown to be fair.
As Roy would say, its like praising the postman for delivering letters.!
Roy who?
The Grauniad rails against tax dodging corpos, yet its editorial praises same to the hilt.
Hypocrites.
The Grauniad? Is that a character from lord of the rings?
It’s a reference to how the newspaper used to be full of typos.
Tried to get a job with the IDA years ago. Having no connections at all made that impossible in the Ireland of the 80′S. I wonder have things changed. Doubt it.
Maybe you didn’t have the necessary skills or experience????
Job advertised was for Assistant Executive, Trainee, a third level qualification (non specified) required. Quite general. Always wondered what the background of the people who landed those very coveted jobs back in the recession hit 80′s was.
Ha I’m sure plenty of people didn’t get the job. That’s what happens when more than one person applies for a job. No need to play the victim
When i went to school it was the industrial development authority. Why the name change?
Things change Joe….
I feel your pain Joe, its just not fair….
Thanks IDA for not providing one job or offering one penny of investment in Cavan in 40 years.
Can’t blame the IDA that multi-nationals don’t want to go to Cavan. Is there anything that Cavan is better for than any other county?
But you had the financial wizzardry of Sean Quinn……just been watching Harry Potter!
This article is highly complimentary to the IDA. The Guardian, being a left-wing newspaper, likes the opportunity to praise the work of a successful government agency like the IDA. The IDA competes successfully against similar British agencies who are trying to attract exactly the same sort of jobs from many of the same investors. Ireland’s low corporation tax system and more effective educational system gives the IDA an edge over the British agencies. The IDA has done a good job over the years but faces stiff competition from many other countries, particularly countries outside the EU where wages, energy costs and income tax and social security contributions are lower. But Ireland has the advantage of being an English speaking country within the EU, the world’s most important single Market. Much has been achieved but much more remains to be done.
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