€5.5m tourism investment announced in Kilkenny

foxcoverteddy

Okay take your word for it,. how many tourists come by coach? So go ahead and name the other things to do, after finding out the duration of the stay before our tourists are driven off to other places.
If you haven't got a car yer can't get far from the city centre, bearing in mind many coach bound travellers are of an older generation.
Of course there is a positive side, though I find it somewhat cloudy at this time, by the listing of what is spent it seems many of our visitors keep their money in their pockets, or is there very little they can spend it on.
Oh yes the design centre, true, walk up the high street and name shops that really cater for tourists, Carrig, yes, then where?
It will be great to have decent kerbs and pavements, how you going to stop vans driving over them?
Come on accept a challenge, you are saying my post is negative, I do not agree, the shops named must sell Irish made goods. Okay

Cabaal

road_high wrote: »

Maybe ask the 100s of thousands that visit here plus read the reviews on (unbiased) Lonely Planet and Rough Guides. There's lots on offer "apart from the Castle".
It never ceases to amaze me how people can only see a negative in something positive like this.

Agreed,

Its also worth noting that there's also now a push for something to be done with Kells http://www.kilkennypeople.ie/news/local/kells-priory-needs-your-help-1-4808739

catbear

foxcoverteddy wrote: »

Come on accept a challenge, you are saying my post is negative, I do not agree, the shops named must sell Irish made goods. Okay

Viagra is made in Cork so that's all the pharmacies covered.

Captain Havoc

foxcoverteddy wrote: »

So go ahead and name the other things to do

Fair enough, here.

foxcoverteddy

Wow, fair comment but I came on a tour bus, it sure don't go to some of our beauty spots, do they?
For the car travelling tourist it was a delight to read,

Captain Havoc

Foxy, I don't where to start on your post.

foxcoverteddy wrote: »

What fantastic news, at last something for the tourists, apart from the amusement arcade, least said the better at this point. You can just see the bus loads of visitors getting down on their hands and knees photographing the wonderful Chinese kerbs and the non slip paving, others no doubt will be laying in the road checking the quality of the tarmacadam.

The resurfacing is important to the aesthetics of the city. Maybe there wasn't a suitable local supplier.

foxcoverteddy wrote: »

Gosh the people of kilkenny are so lucky, pity about the pot holes everywhere else and the dangers of the Callan and the Durrow roads, the views of the city from the derelict site on the Callan road might jog memories of Damascus or Kabul, but no, we will have the best kerbs, pavements and tarmacadam in the whole of the EU, thank you Phil.

Separate issue but I haven't been out as much this year to see them. As someone who cycles a lot, road surface is something I notice and generally Kilkenny coco are ahead to most other counties, as soon as you go into Tipperary the roads become very uneven, which when you've got 100-120 psi in your tyres you notice very quickly.

foxcoverteddy wrote: »

Where will the tourists spend their money, we have betting shops, pubs and the amusement arcade.

We have hotels, restaurants and various shops.

foxcoverteddy wrote: »

Someone said we want the tourists to stop until the night-life begins, presume they own a pub, these tourists in the main are on tight schedules, they have to get back to the hotels in other towns who try not to rip the tourists off.
When will Kilkenny learn it is not the be all of tourism, apart from the castle what else does it offer?

Hotels price according to supply and demand, this is pretty much done on a daily bases. A hotels are a business not a charity, not all the hotels are the most expensive. The aspect hotel is generally keenly priced or during the week most hotels are keenly priced, I just looked, Wednesday 13th April, Pembroke, Ormonde and Rivercourt are €78 B&B for a double room on todayfm breaks, these three hotels are four star and right in the centre of the city.

foxcoverteddy wrote: »

Okay take your word for it,. how many tourists come by coach? So go ahead and name the other things to do, after finding out the duration of the stay before our tourists are driven off to other places.

Top 5 things to do from trip advisor
1. The Kilkenny Way - I didn't know this existed but it's basically hurling for tourists.
2. Kilkenny Castle
3. St. Canice's
4. Woodstock
5. The Black Abbey.

Most tourists would only spend a night or two here anyway as they're usually travelling around. Same as me, when I holiday, I generally don't base myself anywhere unless I'm on a session or something.

foxcoverteddy wrote: »

If you haven't got a car yer can't get far from the city centre, bearing in mind many coach bound travellers are of an older generation.

This is very true. 55 and over accounts for 24% of tourists. The good news is though 41% of tourists either brought their own or rented a car. I'm not going to go on about public transport though as I'll end up ranting and breaking something.

foxcoverteddy wrote: »

Of course there is a positive side, though I find it somewhat cloudy at this time, by the listing of what is spent it seems many of our visitors keep their money in their pockets, or is there very little they can spend it on.

No they don't, in 2011 €27 million was spent by tourists in Kilkenny. That's about €123 per person.

foxcoverteddy wrote: »

Oh yes the design centre, true, walk up the high street and name shops that really cater for tourists, Carrig, yes, then where?
It will be great to have decent kerbs and pavements, how you going to stop vans driving over them?
Come on accept a challenge, you are saying my post is negative, I do not agree, the shops named must sell Irish made goods. Okay

It's up to private individuals to set up business and sell what they feel will put bread on the table. I think your posts are very negative.

foxcoverteddy wrote: »

Wow, fair comment but I came on a tour bus, it sure don't go to some of our beauty spots, do they?
For the car travelling tourist it was a delight to read,

No they don't but generally tour buses are on a huried itinery.

Deliverance XXV

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Top 5 things to do from trip advisor
1. The Kilkenny Way - I didn't know this existed but it's basically hurling for tourists.
2. Kilkenny Castle
3. St. Canice's
4. Woodstock
5. The Black Abbey.

And these are only the heavily advertised things to do in Kilkenny. There are countless others in the county including enormous historical interest including round towers, castles, priories and abbeys. Then there are all the parks and gardens, and big tourist-trap attractions such as Nicholas Mosse Pottery, Castlecomer Discovery Park, Dunmore Caves and Reptile Village.

Threadhead

When it comes to arts and culture we are far ahead of many other cities and towns in Ireland. We are one of the very best, simple as.

Sure, we mightn't be Dublin or Belfast or even Cork when it comes to the biggest events and the central hubs of art and culture in Ireland but considering the small amount of arts funding that gets put into a small city without a college population, Kilkenny punches well above its weight and then some.

In this regard, there are thousands of things for tourists to do all around the year, every year.

Cabaal

Threadhead wrote: »

In this regard, there are thousands of things for tourists to do all around the year, every year.

You've only to walk around Kilkenny City anytime of the year and you'll always see or hear tourists, I lived in Waterford for around 9 years and it was never comparable to Kilkenny for seeing tourists around the city.

Sure it got bus tours but they saw the crystal and that was it, it may have changed since the viking triangle thing though....if it has then thats only recent.

Kilkenny is a pretty well known tourist destination and it also has a good name amongst people in Ireland for a good night life and a place worth visiting.

We should be proud of this

Rantan

there is tonnes of stuff to do in KK - if you could be bothered doing it or looking for it of course. I live near Lacken end of the trail to bennetsbridge and see loads of touristy types hiking it and loads of locals too..it is a credit to the local authorities and a great example of what they can do.

I brought my teenage son to do the tree top rope walk out in the discovery park recently and we both had a great time - reasonably priced too and another great example of people trying hard to provide something deifferent.

Anyone who thinks there is nothing to do in KK is missing out - just because certain things may not appeal to everyone doesn;t mean they should be written off. Places like the Set theatre, the Hole in the Wall, Cleeres, Rothe house etc always have intersting talks, gigs, lectures etc. I love the Hole in teh Wall...its one of the quirkiest venues i've ever been in.

foxcoverteddy

I don't care what anyone says Captain Havoc your reply was brilliant, I was impressed, embarrassed and truly grateful, also the following posts, we understand there are people who really care about our city.
I have no intention of saying other than thank you all, fantasticv guy's.
Regards Foxy

confusedeire

I think its brillient i was in kilkenny last year for a weekend and thought it was the best city i ever visited. Only down fall was it was dearer to drink there than dublin. Everyone on the street was so polite.

Captain Havoc

confusedeire wrote: »

I think its brillient i was in kilkenny last year for a weekend and thought it was the best city i ever visited. Only down fall was it was dearer to drink there than dublin. Everyone on the street was so polite.

Reidy's €4 a pint, Pump House €2.50 on a Friday for a pint of Bavaria, where in Dublin would you get that?



I know you'll come up with somewhere

redtelephone

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Most tourists would only spend a night or two here anyway as they're usually travelling around. Same as me, when I holiday, I generally don't base myself anywhere unless I'm on a session or something.



No they don't, in 2011 €27 million was spent by tourists in Kilkenny. That's about €123 per person.

The problem they're trying to address is that many tourists aren't staying overnight, whatever the reason, resulting in a low spend. The 2011 figures for foreign tourist income show 29 million euro for Kilkenny - the same as for county Carlow (see post #50 above). Kilkenny is seen as a bigger tourist destination than Carlow, yet can only manage to generate the same income as its neighbour. That's a major problem. Waterford managed to earn 41 million euro the same year. There seems to be something seriously wrong with foreign tourism in Kilkenny and I hope this project helps to improve the situation.

holyhead

As one who has to work away from home a fair bit, I can tell you Kilkenny is a fabulous city. Our built heritage (KK Castle, KDC, St Kieran's College, St Mary;s Cathedral, St Canice's Cathedral, Black Abbey, Tholsel, Rothe House, Shee Alms House, County Hall, St Mary's Hall, Ex Courthouse, St John's Church, St Canice's Church, St Patrick's Church, Butler House, Old Tech, St John's Priory, Left Bank, Hibernian Hotel, & gate lodge in Canal Square) is incredible. When I walk past the Castle I see it in such a different light having lived away from home.
The Medieval mile project is laudable provided its executed in a tasteful fashion.
Like Galway, I find there is a nice atmosphere and vibe about The Marble City. As has been pointed out there is a very strong arts scene. There are nice restaurants, decent shopping with a nice spread of independent stores. We have one of the best High Street's left in Ireland.
I havent' gotten around to the many attractions around the county yet
Of Kilkenny and proud of it

Captain Havoc

redtelephone wrote: »

The problem they're trying to address is that many tourists aren't staying overnight, whatever the reason, resulting in a low spend. The 2011 figures for foreign tourist income show 29 million euro for Kilkenny - the same as for county Carlow (see post #50 above). Kilkenny is seen as a bigger tourist destination than Carlow, yet can only manage to generate the same income as its neighbour. That's a major problem. Waterford managed to earn 41 million euro the same year. There seems to be something seriously wrong with foreign tourism in Kilkenny and I hope this project helps to improve the situation.

Hopefully it will. I can only guess at why foreign tourists don't stop here. One is that most of the bus tours only park up for an hour or two at the castle and then head on to Waterford, we are only an hour and a bit from Dublin so it could be deemed a bit early to stop somewhere overnight. Our proximity to Dublin has an advantage though in that if someone was based in Dublin, we'd be within distance for a day-trip.

We are a very popular city but on 6% of foreign visitors came to Kilkenny (county) in 2011. The counties ahead of us are, Mayo, Galway, Limerick, Clare, Kerry, Cork and Dublin. As you can see, with the exception of Dublin, all those counties are on the west coast, so maybe a south-east tourism campaign would be better for Kilkenny than a solo effort, the basic theory being, if there in the neighborhood, the should come in. I remember getting a lecture in college from the late Bobby Kerr and he said the only way he could get people to stay in his hotel was to promote Kilkenny as a destination. I think Kilkenny could promote itself as the heart of the south east, stay here and visit Hook head, the rock of Cashel etc.......

One where we could aim is cyclotourism, the amount made wouldn't set the world alight but being 120km from Dublin puts us in the one day bracket.

I really can't understand how Carlow has pulled in that much, that's an average spend of €433 per person. The average spend per person was €512, I cannot believe for one second that people spent €433 of their €512 in Carlow. It is possible I've made a cock-up on the figures.

redtelephone

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Hopefully it will. I can only guess at why foreign tourists don't stop here. One is that most of the bus tours only park up for an hour or two at the castle and then head on to Waterford, we are only an hour and a bit from Dublin so it could be deemed a bit early to stop somewhere overnight. Our proximity to Dublin has an advantage though in that if someone was based in Dublin, we'd be within distance for a day-trip.

We are a very popular city but on 6% of foreign visitors came to Kilkenny (county) in 2011. The counties ahead of us are, Mayo, Galway, Limerick, Clare, Kerry, Cork and Dublin. As you can see, with the exception of Dublin, all those counties are on the west coast, so maybe a south-east tourism campaign would be better for Kilkenny than a solo effort, the basic theory being, if there in the neighborhood, the should come in. I remember getting a lecture in college from the late Bobby Kerr and he said the only way he could get people to stay in his hotel was to promote Kilkenny as a destination. I think Kilkenny could promote itself as the heart of the south east, stay here and visit Hook head, the rock of Cashel etc.......

One where we could aim is cyclotourism, the amount made wouldn't set the world alight but being 120km from Dublin puts us in the one day bracket.

I really can't understand how Carlow has pulled in that much, that's an average spend of €433 per person. The average spend per person was €512, I cannot believe for one second that people spent €433 of their €512 in Carlow. It is possible I've made a cock-up on the figures.

I think your figures are correct, being taken from the Failte Ireland official stats. It has astonished me for a long time that Kilkenny lags way behind all the other counties in the region for foreign tourism income. The spend per head for 2011 in Waterford was 228 euro, Wexford 264 euro, South Tipp 376 euro, Carlow 433 euro and Kilkenny at the bottom with a mere 123 euro. In case this appears as a one-off, corresponding 2010 figures show Carlow's foreign tourist revenue at 421 euro per head and Kilkenny's at only 157 euro (Kilkenny actually showing a decrease between 2010 and 2011 !!).

My own theory is that Kilkenny has not been too interested in attracting overseas visitors up to now because it has plenty of revenue from home-grown tourism (weekenders, stags etc). The issue of Kilkenny being too close to Dublin doesn't stack up because Carlow is much closer. Another problem is that of Kilkenny having the most expensive hotels in Ireland. It doesn't matter if you can get a good rate midweek, the perception is that it's expensive and the tourists aren't staying.

Revenue from foreign tourism is worth much more to the country's economy because it's money coming from outside the state. Let's hope this latest effort succeeds. And maybe someone should get on to Carlow tourism to find out how they're doing it right, despite being a smaller county with a lower profile.

road_high

I know these are official figures redtelephone but they are mental and I'm very sceptical about them...work a lot in Carlow and I never see a tourist or toursit bus let alone foreign ones! Where are they? All out in Mount Wolseley?

Walk down Tullow st and you'd find it hard to meet a person let alone groups of tourists! I take the point though that tourists are not staying long term in KK and it's kind of a day trip from Dublin in the main.

Captain Havoc

redtelephone wrote: »

Revenue from foreign tourism is worth much more to the country's economy because it's money coming from outside the state. Let's hope this latest effort succeeds. And maybe someone should get on to Carlow tourism to find out how they're doing it right, despite being a smaller county with a lower profile.

Maybe that's the issue, stags, hens and weddings have the hotels booked up on the weekend hence not leaving room for overseas visitors. Personally I wouldn't care where my income stream was coming from. If you're one of the hotels with a conference and banqueting facility it makes sense that you would use this to fill your rooms. I think Kilkenny and Galway are the destination of choice for this particular segment of the market, I have no figures to back that up though.

Deliverance XXV

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Maybe that's the issue, stags, hens and weddings have the hotels booked up on the weekend hence not leaving room for overseas visitors.

Fair point, to a degree. I wonder what the statistics are for national visitors? Apart from the regulars which are Dublin, Cork, Galway and Kerry, Kilkenny must be fairly high up that list.

Captain Havoc

road_high wrote: »

I know these are official figures redtelephone but they are mental and I'm very sceptical about them...work a lot in Carlow and I never see a tourist or toursit bus let alone foreign ones! Where are they? All out in Mount Wolseley?

Walk down Tullow st and you'd find it hard to meet a person let alone groups of tourists! I take the point though that tourists are not staying long term in KK and it's kind of a day trip from Dublin in the main.

The figures don't say there's a lot of tourists in Carlow, just that they're spending their money there and not here.

road_high

Captain Havoc wrote: »

The figures don't say there's a lot of tourists in Carlow, just that they're spending their money there and not here.

I know but they must be super rich elite ones spending a fortune (where exactly?!). Not picking on Carlow, lovely county that it is.

IanVW

Never saw much to do in kilkenny tbh besides the castle:) Thats just my view as an outsider looking in:)

holyhead

IanVW wrote: »

Never saw much to do in kilkenny tbh besides the castle:) Thats just my view as an outsider looking in:)

You should have gone to specsavers

IanVW

Sure what else is up there?:)

road_high

IanVW wrote: »

Sure what else is up there?:)

Have a quick read of the thread. A page or two back. Perhaps that's why you thought there wasn't much there...i.e. couldn't be arsed looking.

IanVW

Ive read the entire thread! I still dont see the attraction

Dozen Wicked Words

IanVW wrote: »

Ive read the entire thread! I still dont see the attraction

Plenty of bridges for trolls to live under anyway.

redtelephone

Captain Havoc wrote: »

The figures don't say there's a lot of tourists in Carlow, just that they're spending their money there and not here.

Yes, Carlow had the lowest number of foreign tourists in the region (60,000 in 2011). Kilkenny had the greatest number at 219,000, the problem being that the spend in Kilkenny was way down. But even when you leave out the Carlow figures altogether, the story is the same, KK is still at the bottom. This is what's challenging the tourism people - how to get that spend up.
Unfortunately, to many people it IS all about the castle, and the figures seem to bear that out.

IanVW

Dozen Wicked Words wrote: »

Plenty of bridges for trolls to live under anyway.

No a troll:) entitled to my opinion!:)