WAW - Wild Atlantic Way

houseplant

How well is this initiative working? Are people along the route seeing the benefits? I wonder are holiday makers actually coming to Ireland to tour the route. Are there coach tours, self drive hire etc available?

Donald Trump

houseplant wrote: »

How well is this initiative working? Are people along the route seeing the benefits? I wonder are holiday makers actually coming to Ireland to tour the route. Are there coach tours, self drive hire etc available?

Waw wah wee waw


Kazakhs like it apparently

kneemos

The tourists they come,they see,they go.

Graces7

Trading at a street market I meet many tourists and some are driving the wild atlantic way,, They have " done" all the other routes so the new idea suits them. I like the idea and love following the signs on my times out.

md23040

Working in the hospitality industry the campaign has been a huge success and driven increased room sales in hotels, bed and breakfasts along the entirety of the route. The amount of business this has generated is phenomenal and whoever came up with this simple marketing idea of a few signposts needs the highest honor Ireland can bestow.

A good news news story for once in Ireland that didn't become a white elephant nor cost an arm and a leg.

Thought it was a ridiculous suggestion, who would want to drive the length of the western seaboard.

Was wrong. Turns out there are loads who do, or long stretches of it. Know of one group of residents in a cul de sac here in Kerry who had a sign placed near them indicating a turn off which was poorly placed and sent vehicles up their road. They said the amount of traffic that would trundle up last their houses was amazing, dormobiles, cars, tourists dragging caravans all trying to turn at the end of a country road. The sign was moved...but it just showed the numbers who follow the route religiously. I'd say any town that didn't lobby hard to get on the route must be kicking themselves.

28srf0c

It's pretty good, but confusing even for me. Was driving around Galway recently and the signage is a bit confusing. At many junctions, there would be a couple of signs for the Atlantic way, each pointing in a different direction.

munchkin_utd

28srf0c wrote: »

It's pretty good, but confusing even for me. Was driving around Galway recently and the signage is a bit confusing. At many junctions, there would be a couple of signs for the Atlantic way, each pointing in a different direction.

you need to buy the official WAW map.

but the reason is simple, you sometimes need to "leave" the route to find something down a one way road to the coast.
The key is that if a name is mentioned then its guiding you to a certain attraction, otherwise its normally just the small butty sign that brings you along the coast.

Vex Willems

28srf0c wrote: »

It's pretty good, but confusing even for me. Was driving around Galway recently and the signage is a bit confusing. At many junctions, there would be a couple of signs for the Atlantic way, each pointing in a different direction.

well it does go both ways. Would the signs not have an (N) or a (S)

kneemos

28srf0c wrote: »

It's pretty good, but confusing even for me. Was driving around Galway recently and the signage is a bit confusing. At many junctions, there would be a couple of signs for the Atlantic way, each pointing in a different direction.

Local politicians fixing the signs

The Backwards Man

Best thing ever happened tourism wise in the North West. It's still only a fledgling iniative too, not many people have heard of it, it can only get better. Unless the politicians fcuk it up, of course.

CiaranMcDCFC

As someone who as driven the entire route over the last three years on different holidays I think it has been a huge success.

Have met loads of tourists who are doing it, in cars, camper vans, bicycles.

Lots of camp sites and coffee shops doing well.

There is really something for everyone along the route, some stunning views, brilliant beaches even in the more damp weather!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Massive success all round. Even if my son-in-law calls it the Wet Atlantic Way after their last holiday.

podgemonster

Was down home in West Cork over the summer for a week. The amount of tourists rambling around the towns and villages with little guide books and lonely planets, peering in shop windows and sitting out having coffees is great to see.

The WAW has joined up a lot of the dots of scenic beauty and historical significance that scatter our coast line. Its not just drivers, there are plenty of cyclists doing it too.

One evening I was walking my parents dog by an old pier about a mile from our house and there was a french couple standing on the pier with those big heavy cameras. I stopped to see were they looking at anything interesting but it was just the coastline, sea and the sky. The french guy turned to me and said "it is beautiful, yes?" I looked, and I never really looked before because twas always just the old pier at the bottom of the hill.

"Yes, i suppose it is" And I carried on my way.

maudgonner

Great initiative and from what I've heard from people involved in tourism it's doing incredibly well.

Things like this that make the best of what we have without costing the earth are fantastic. The Greenway (Westport-Achill) is another great example. Fair play to all involved.

Howard the Duck

Done some of this last year, Just mainly Kerry. The weather was great and it was one of the best holidays i've ever had. Never knew Kerry was so beautiful

CJhaughey

Very successful initiative by Bord Failte, it really has been a big success in the SW.
The scenery is magnificent here and the idea of linking the various spots along the route was a stroke of genius.
There are new features being added all the time with the latest being a WAW metal sign in steel on the Coolieragh stop overlooking Bantry bay and Whiddy Island.
Maybe they have added a load of new POI's for GPS users?
Last summer was amazing in terms of Motorcycles and Camper Vans around the area compared to the previous years.

28srf0c

28srf0c wrote: »

It's pretty good, but confusing even for me. Was driving around Galway recently and the signage is a bit confusing. At many junctions, there would be a couple of signs for the Atlantic way, each pointing in a different direction.

:pac:

md23040

md23040 wrote: »

Working in the hospitality industry the campaign has been a huge success and driven increased room sales in hotels, bed and breakfasts along the entirety of the route. The amount of business this has generated is phenomenal and whoever came up with this simple marketing idea of a few signposts needs the highest honor Ireland can bestow.

A good news news story for once in Ireland that didn't become a white elephant nor cost an arm and a leg.

You will only annoy people with post like that, It should be rural Ireland is dying and there are no job and if they are any jobs its all interns, plus jobs in hospitality do not count as they don't pay enough.

mariaalice

mariaalice wrote: »

You will only annoy people with post like that, It should be rural Ireland is dying and there are no job and if they are any jobs its all interns, plus jobs in hospitality do not count as they don't pay enough.

Jobs in hospitality don't count as jobs? Sorry, what?

Tell that to people working in the hospitality industry all around Ireland, "Sorry, your job doesn't count".

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Jobs in hospitality don't count as jobs? Sorry, what?

Tell that to people working in the hospitality industry all around Ireland, "Sorry, your job doesn't count".

sorry I was paraphrasing a reply I got from someone a while ago about employment who replied to a post with.... " Jobs in hospitality do not pay enough to be counted as real jobs"

screamer

It's successful but it's made some places unbearably crowded. TBH I was in a certain WAW hotspot this summer and the lack of eye contact and just general manners from people working in pubs tourist attractions etc was stark compared to when I visited about 10 years ago. Couldn't care less attitudes. What we were known for as being the place of a thousand welcomes is gone it's very much pack em in stack em high charge through the nose and be rude now. I'll be steering clear of the WAW hot spots it's far from relaxing to holiday in them.

Graces7

28srf0c wrote: »

It's pretty good, but confusing even for me. Was driving around Galway recently and the signage is a bit confusing. At many junctions, there would be a couple of signs for the Atlantic way, each pointing in a different direction.

Ah usually then one will say N and the other S. I see that a lot here in Kerry too, Makes sense once you realise!

biko

There seems to be a big increase in numbers on it and it's mentioned for instance in NG http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/road-trip/ireland-wild-atlantic-way/

Rhys Essien

West Cork featured on Dutch TV last night so that can't be bad.I think the WAW was a great idea but to follow up last year with Ireland's Ancient East was cringey.I thought one of the reasons of the WAW was to let tourists know that there is more to Ireland than Dublin.

ScumLord

I wouldn't go near it. I don't trust Irish sign posts.

andekwarhola

Never driven the full WAW. I did the Liscannor to Doolin cliff walk recently though. Think it's about 15K. You get a bit complacent and moaning about your own country sometimes but it's a beautiful part of the country and it creates a lot of direct and indirect employment.

donegaLroad

I was at the Donegal Wild Atlantic Way conference last October. Bord Failte have very big ambitions for this initiative. It will go from strength to strength, and anyone planning on starting a tourist related business on the West coast, could do very well. There needs to be more activities for visitors along the WAW route.

Donegal was very busy during tourist season last year. The WAW played a large part of this. The strong Sterling and strong US dollar also helped a lot.

Google's busiest day of the year is Boxing Day, and on the 1st Jan 2015, Google supplied Failte Ireland with their search data from the 26th Dec 2014.

Based on this search data, Failte Ireland declared that 2015 would be a bumper year for tourism in Ireland. A large percentage of what was being googled on the 26th Dec was the WAW.


Failte Ireland were urging people to use Twitter more to try and promote the WAW by posting photos of the west coast, under #WildAtlanticWay #discoverireland #godiscoverdonegal etc.


Ireland will really be in focus this year because of the 1916 commemoration which should help bring more visitors to the west coast.


*Game of Thrones has done wonders for tourism in the North over the last while.

V_Moth

It would be fine if they did't build car parks over some of the most threatened wildlife in Ireland:

https://twitter.com/davesudds62/status/668849312118513665

Cienciano

I've use a few sections of it and it's great. Only way it can be fúcked up is if local business give backhanders to alter the route to include their businesses on it. Anyone that wants a great family holiday should hire a camper van and try it.

donegaLroad

you can get the Wild Atlantic Way app here

The free Wild Atlantic Way App has everything from places to see, where to sleep and eat, to festivals and events. There’s even a list of secrets the locals have shared with us. It is the perfect travel companion along the West Coast of Ireland. Immerse yourself in the culture, music and food found in the towns and villages along the way, climb the most breathtaking heights and experience places that revive the soul.

It also works offline

Junkyard Tom

It'll attract foreigners and they might want to stay. It's a disaster waiting to happen.

ProudDUB

28srf0c wrote: »

It's pretty good, but confusing even for me. Was driving around Galway recently and the signage is a bit confusing. At many junctions, there would be a couple of signs for the Atlantic way, each pointing in a different direction.

Of course there'll be signs pointing in two different directions. It goes north & south.

I think it's great. I was in Mayo a few weeks ago & we did a couple of great drives around the north Mayo section of it. Saw some absolutely stunning scenery, that I'd never even heard of before hand, as it doesn't have the great reputation that the likes of the Ring of Kerry have. Probably wouldn't have even attempted it, but for knowing how well the WAW was sign posted in other parts of the country. A few things bugged me though.

1. When there was a detour off the official route, there wasn't much info or signage, on what it was you were detouring off to see, so you can make the decision on whether or not you wanted to venture down some pretty crappy roads to see it. As it was Feb and the county has had some pretty crappy weather of late, some of the side roads were in a bad way, so attention should be paid to that. Not all the visitors will be in the summer. Accept that having the app and the official map would have helped, but when driving its good to be able to rely on the signs alone.

2. When on the detours, some of the signage to get back to the WAW isn't great. Then when there is one, it doesn't say if its north or south bound, so you go right or left, not knowing which way you are going.

3. The north/south signs are often right at the cross roads, so you have to stop, or slow down to see them. That's not great if there are cars behind you. They could do with being bigger, and a good bit before the junction, so you know which way you need to turn, before you get to the junction itself.

When going thru towns, there are usually lots of other signs for various things, so the small WAW signs can get lost in the shuffle. When the WAW sign is on the same sign post as a multitude of signs for local B&B's, attractions, restaurants etc and is the same brown colour and same rectangular size & shape as other tourist signs, it can be easy to miss. Bigger & more attention getting signage would be a good idea imo.

BailMeOut

I know someone who has a holiday house on Beara Pennincula and they say the traffic difference is dramatic. Prior to WAW most cars would go from Glengarriff to Kenmare (or Kenmare to Glengarriff) on way up or down coast but now many more are turning off and am sure the same is happening on the other peninsulas.

cowboyBuilder

md23040 wrote: »

Working in the hospitality industry the campaign has been a huge success and driven increased room sales in hotels, bed and breakfasts along the entirety of the route. The amount of business this has generated is phenomenal and whoever came up with this simple marketing idea of a few signposts needs the highest honor Ireland can bestow.

A good news news story for once in Ireland that didn't become a white elephant nor cost an arm and a leg.

Yeah but I'm sure it's being abused too - like rip off B+Bs and hotels...

ChippingSodbury

V_Moth wrote: »

https://twitter.com/davesudds62/status/668849312118513665

I'd guess the person who first rocked into a meeting and said "Let's make our own Route 66" was laughed out the door!!!

I think it's the best initiative Ireland has come up with in a long long time. The signage is brilliant (and there's on right outside my house): you'll also notice that the signs all have two posts so they can't be (easily) turned by the local kids! It cost a fair bit for the signs but it's well worth it. The only thing I'd complain about would be the marker points (the rusty signs in the above link). Apparently, each one of these is costing a fortune. They are being imported from Canada (?). I can't see why unpainted stainless wasn't used but I think An Taisce didn't want conspicuous markers in such sensitive areas. It's a great idea to camouflage the marker signs so that nobody can see them but they don't interfere with the landscape either!

demanufactured

28srf0c wrote: »

It's pretty good, but confusing even for me. Was driving around Galway recently and the signage is a bit confusing. At many junctions, there would be a couple of signs for the Atlantic way, each pointing in a different direction.

Sounds like craggy island

eeguy

cowboyBuilder wrote: »

Yeah but I'm sure it's being abused too - like rip off B+Bs and hotels...

Not really. Plenty of competitive rates and Groupon deals.
With booking sites, I don't see how hotels and B&Bs can rip off people who plan their journey.

You'd either need a monopoly or cartel of hotels inflating their prices.

Phil.x

I'm looking at driving from dublin to Kerry and follow the coast up to the cliffs of moher and back to Dublin via athlone.
This will be done over 3/4 days.

Problem is I'll have two kids under 5 and I'm thinking it could be too much driving for them.
Has anybody done this type of trip.

LCD

Phil.x wrote: »

I'm looking at driving from dublin to Kerry and follow the coast up to the cliffs of moher and back to Dublin via athlone.
This will be done over 3/4 days.

Problem is I'll have two kids under 5 and I'm thinking it could be too much driving for them.
Has anybody done this type of trip.

Ask in the travel forum, After Hours is more for just talking sh!t

PARlance

Phil.x wrote: »

Problem is I'll have two kids under 5 and I'm thinking it could be too much driving for them.
Has anybody done this type of trip.

Two kids under 5 shouldn't be driving.

Tigger

PARlance wrote: »

Two kids under 5 shouldn't be driving.

its ok as long as they are over 1.2m or using the appropriate booster

gctest50

PARlance wrote: »

Two kids under 5 shouldn't be driving.

s'alright, can't drive a stick-shift anyway

Grayson

My family live on the wild atlantic way, just outside westport. There;'s a steady stream of cyclists on the road all day long in every weather. Crazy bastards

purplepanda

Rhys Essien wrote: »

West Cork featured on Dutch TV last night so that can't be bad.I think the WAW was a great idea but to follow up last year with Ireland's Ancient East was cringey.I thought one of the reasons of the WAW was to let tourists know that there is more to Ireland than Dublin.

So South Leinster & East Munster don't count as being marketable or interesting enough for tourists & overseas visitors then? :rolleyes:

Let's just send all the tourist passing trade straight to the west, even though the weather is better & accommodation is actually cheaper. :pac:

JohnCleary

One of my companies deals in the 5* hospitality industry. I often hear the guests (mainly US) referring to the Wild Atlantic Way, so i'm guessing yes, it has had a positive impact.

houseplant

houseplant wrote: »

How well is this initiative working? Are people along the route seeing the benefits? I wonder are holiday makers actually coming to Ireland to tour the route. Are there coach tours, self drive hire etc available?

Forget about people coming to Ireland, what about people living in Ireland? I went away earlier this year to Kerry. TWAW was fantastic. very well sign-posted, lot's of paths and walkways created, kept in super condition, often by farmers (yes I know some get a grant but the standards are far beyond what they get in payment) - roads very well sign-posted. I love it. I've experienced the lack of WAW and the ancient east sign-posting and it's not a pleasant experience at all.

Anyone considering staying in Ireland on holiday this year, i recommend that you try it.

donegaLroad

donegaLroad wrote: »

you can get the Wild Atlantic Way app here



It also works offline

wish i knew that earlier this year when i was on holiday but thanks for sharing:)

positron

Any plans / suggestions on a Not-so-wild-IrishSea-Way on this side of the country?

"The Viking Way" perhaps?

BabyE

purplepanda wrote: »

So South Leinster & East Munster don't count as being marketable or interesting enough for tourists & overseas visitors then? :rolleyes:

Let's just send all the tourist passing trade straight to the west, even though the weather is better & accommodation is actually cheaper. :pac:

Nobody comes to Ireland for the weather anyway, if anything Europeans would come to escape the heat and travel to ''the last untouched by industrialisation county'' in Europe.

Americans come for cultural reasons or because they hear Dublin is a good city to go to for nightlife while they travel Europe.

nobby grande

My girlfriend came over from Berlin two weeks ago and we drove this route as she had never seen the west. She was absolutely blown away, as was I, even having seen it before.

Brilliant idea and a great way to market the west

Hats off the marketing guys - defo never said that before