Sun shines on North Clare tourism

TOURISM businesses in the county received a significant boost during the recent good weather but the benefit was only felt in certain areas.
While huge numbers migrated to Lahinch and North Clare to bask in the spring sunshine, West Clare continues to be outshone, according to the president of the Irish Hotel Federation.
Michael Vaughan told The Clare Champion that Kilkee and Kilrush need to improve their tourism product in order to attract greater numbers of visitors to the area from abroad.
“The recent good weather has brought a huge boom to hotels in North Clare and especially to smaller hotels on the coast because of the number of people surfing and going to the beach and just getting out. People migrate to the coast during the good weather.
“It is all short-notice stuff with people coming to the seaside and deciding to stay over but it is good for us all,” the Lahinch hotelier said.
While Lahinch benefitted strongly from the warm weekend, other parts of the county were less fortunate.
“Longer-term there seems to be increased visitor activity but it is not everywhere. One example of this is Kilkee. It is a place still struggling to attract tourists. There is a lot to be done to extend the great progress already achieved at Loop Head up along the coast to Kilkee.
“The town has relied on the domestic Irish market for a long time but the difference between it and Lahinch is that the links golf course brings the foreign tourists to Lahinch. Kilkee is relying on the basic seaside tourism to draw people in and it is proving not to be enough,” Mr Vaughan outlined.
According to the North Clare man, now could be the time to increase the tourism offering in West Clare to exploit increased tourist numbers.
“I see a good future for Kilkee and West Clare in walking and cycling tourism but a lot of work has to be done to develop the product on the ground. I am also hopeful of a hotel being built in the town of Kilrush. I have seen talk about attracting a hotel and it is something that  town badly needs.
“There is local business in the form of christenings, funerals, weddings and general celebrations but it takes vision and deep pockets and I hope they find someone with that.
“That said, the timing could be right given that construction prices are as low as they will ever be and it is a virgin market and the opening up of the lighthouse at Loop Head bodes well in that neck of the woods,” he concluded.