What make a tourist destination popular.

Had a little trip away got thinking about this.

We were in Donegal and one of the places we went to was Mamore gap and it has to have one of the most stunning views in Ireland, yet it is not as widely known as other similar gaps, Donegal has fabulous beaches that were empty. When we went to Malin head the nearest place to get a coffee was in a community centre, basically I am asking why Donegal is not as busy as Kerry as a destination. There must be tones of untapped tourist business potential.

https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g1158549-d240345-Reviews-Mamore_Gap-Clonmany_County_Donegal.html

El Weirdo

mariaalice wrote: »

Had a little trip away got thinking about this.

We were in Donegal and one of the places we went to was Manmore gap and it has to have one of the most stunning views in Ireland, yet it is not as widely known as other similar gaps, Donegal has fabulous beaches that were empty. When we went to Malin head the nearest place to get a coffee was in a community centre, basically I am asking why Donegal is not as busy as Kerry as a destination. There must be tones of untapped tourist business potential.

https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g1158549-d240345-Reviews-Mamore_Gap-Clonmany_County_Donegal.html

Believe me, Donegal has loads of gaps that plenty of people have been in.

SEPT 23 1989

no rail link would be one of the reasons

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Yeah Donegal is an awful place to try and get to. It's near nothing.

cml387

Not being Longford

murpho999

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

no rail link would be one of the reasons

This is not the reason. I have been to other places outside Ireland and you wonder why they are not mega famous.

For example been to Turkey and Pamukkale was breath taking. Pictures here.It's well know but not world famous. I don't understand why not.

I also wonder why sites such as Stonehenge are world famous and Newgrange isn't.

Think a lot comes down to marketing.

donegaLroad

2 big reasons... Donegal's proximity to the North kept many people away for years because of the Troubles, so people are now only discovering Donegal.

The 2nd reason Donegal is not as busy as Kerry, is Kerry's proximity to Shannon airport.

donegaLroad

donegaLroad wrote: »

2 big reasons... Donegal's proximity to the North kept many people away for years because of the Troubles, so people are now only discovering Donegal.

The 2nd reason Donegal is not as busy as Kerry, is Kerry's proximity to Shannon airport.

Yeah that make sense but Derry has an airport.

If anyone wants to start a business an avoca type cafe would do very well in the tourist parts of Donegal.

Boom_Bap

The quality of hookers is a big factor.

donegaLroad

mariaalice wrote: »

Yeah that make sense but Derry has an airport.

If anyone wants to start a business an avoca type cafe would do very well in the tourist parts of Donegal.

it is a small airpot, and it does not do trans Atlantic flights like Shannon.. in fact it was facing closure a month ago.

The Backwards Man

mariaalice wrote: »

Had a little trip away got thinking about this.

We were in Donegal and one of the places we went to was Mamore gap and it has to have one of the most stunning views in Ireland, yet it is not as widely known as other similar gaps, Donegal has fabulous beaches that were empty. When we went to Malin head the nearest place to get a coffee was in a community centre, basically I am asking why Donegal is not as busy as Kerry as a destination. There must be tones of untapped tourist business potential.

https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g1158549-d240345-Reviews-Mamore_Gap-Clonmany_County_Donegal.html

You should have seen it before it was busy. It's not that many years ago that the nearest place to Malin Head to get a coffee was Derry. Tourism has increased exponentially here in the last ten years, facilities are following slowly but surely. The internet has a lot to do with the increase, people aren't relying on brochures or travel agents any more, they can find out about places like Inishowen for themselves. In the past, Bord Failteireland didn't want to know about Donegal, and Donegal tourism didn't want to know about Inishowen, but now that the world knows a bit more about this area regardless it's amusing to see the change in attitude from tourism bodies. There's no way Malin Head, Mamore Gap or Kinnegoe Bay would have been included in the Wild Atlantic Way fifteen years ago, now they're focal selling points.

mariaalice

mariaalice wrote: »

I am asking why Donegal is not as busy as Kerry as a destination.

Kerry as a destination goes back over 150 years, the visit of Queen Victoria etc. That's what really put the place on the map as a destination, and decades of marketing Killarney and the Ring of Kerry and building a huge tourist industry and infrastructure, hotels restaurants and the like, all centred on that. And that's crucial, I mean West Cork is stunning but outside Clon the tourist industry is light years behind.

It's hard to compare scenery, but on the other hand Kerry does have the highest mountains and is by far the most mountainous county in Ireland, a national park, lots of beaches, an events centre, mansions like Muckross House, Ross Castle, the Skelligs and Blasket Island, famous drives around the Ring of Kerry and Slea Head, historic sites like Staigue Fort, Gallarus Oratory and on and on and on. I like Donegal, but there are good reasons Kerry is a tourist Mecca.

me_right_one

The weather, and the emigration profile. Kerry is more Southerly, and has sunnier, less windy and wet weather. The people from Kerry had far more of an influence internationally when they emigrated too.

bodhrandude

Galway has five dedicated traditional music pubs and can always pull in a decent crowd of locals, tourists and musicians from all around the world, we had musicians from Baltimore and LA in the States at our session last night. I have to say the music in the streets, busking, street entertainers and the likes would be a crowd puller too. Leitrim didn't get too far in that poll but I know for a fact that its a popular fishing tourism county, Lough Melvin has a healthy amount of anglers residing there.

ohnonotgmail

Boom_Bap wrote: »

The quality of hookers is a big factor.

one of the reasons i like galway

Baybay

Deleted User wrote: »

...but on the other hand Kerry does have the highest mountains and is by far the most mountainous county in Ireland, a national park, lots of beaches, an events centre, mansions like Muckross House, Ross Castle, the Skelligs and Blasket Island, famous drives around the Ring of Kerry and Slea Head, historic sites like Staigue Fort, Gallarus Oratory and on and on and on. I like Donegal, but there are good reasons Kerry is a tourist Mecca.

Donegal too is pretty mountainous, has the second largest national park in Ireland, lots of beaches, arts & other events venues, Glenveagh & Donegal Castles, Cruit & Tory islands amongst many more, Mamore Gap, Malin Head, Barnesmore Gap, Dunree fort, Grianan of Aileach, very early examples of Irish high crosses and on and on and on. There a good reasons Donegal could be every bit the tourist Mecca anywhere else is but why ruin it for the rest of us?!!!

HensVassal

mariaalice wrote: »

Had a little trip away got thinking about this.

We were in Donegal and one of the places we went to was Mamore gap and it has to have one of the most stunning views in Ireland, yet it is not as widely known as other similar gaps, Donegal has fabulous beaches that were empty. When we went to Malin head the nearest place to get a coffee was in a community centre, basically I am asking why Donegal is not as busy as Kerry as a destination. There must be tones of untapped tourist business potential.

https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g1158549-d240345-Reviews-Mamore_Gap-Clonmany_County_Donegal.html

Accessibility.

I went to a wedding once in Letterkenny. I flew from Dublin Airport on a little turbo-prop puddle-jumper. The flight was great and was only about half an hour.....but when you land at Carrickfinn Airportstrip you are in the middle of nowhere. Takes a good hour and a half to drive to Letterkenny. Getting the bus there is also a pain in the bollocks.....not like flying down the motorway to Galway in 2 hours on the Citylink

Baybay

HensVassal wrote: »

.....not like flying down the motorway to Galway in 2 hours on the Citylink

It's not that long since it could take up to six hours, negotiating every bothrin & treble parked village if you were unlucky enough to have timed the Friday exodus poorly!!

There is no working rail in Donegal now & I think that would make such a difference to the accessibility of such a beautiful county. However, it is still such a big county, local spurs would be needed.
When my father was a a boy, about 80 or so years ago, there were plenty of local trains that served the community & he had vivid memories of hopping on & off at will.

donegaLroad

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

one of the reasons i like galway

you are referring to the boats of course

Spanish Eyes

Donegal is absolutely stunning.

Too many Nordies there though. Passed through Bundoran on the way to Fanad, and obv stopped in the wrong pub. OMG. (Must have missed the surfers locals lol).

But still, it is a great place, but difficult to get to really. Best way is to go to Sligo for a few days and enjoy the beaches, Rosses Point, Mullaghmore, Yeats grave, and Benbulbin and so on, then drive up. You will not be disappointed. Stunning.

It's the getting back is the killer, depending on where you have to get back to!

Capt'n Midnight

donegaLroad wrote: »

The 2nd reason Donegal is not as busy as Kerry, is Kerry's proximity to Shannon airport.

Once upon a time a Ryanair plane landed at the other airport in Derry.

FizzleSticks

This post has been deleted.

The Backwards Man

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Donegal is absolutely stunning.

Too many Nordies there though. Passed through Bundoran on the way to Fanad, and obv stopped in the wrong pub. OMG. (Must have missed the surfers locals lol).

But still, it is a great place, but difficult to get to really. Best way is to go to Sligo for a few days and enjoy the beaches, Rosses Point, Mullaghmore, Yeats grave, and Benbulbin and so on, then drive up. You will not be disappointed. Stunning.

It's the getting back is the killer, depending on where you have to get back to!

Bundoran isn't Donegal, they're just stuck onto our arse coz no one else will take them off us.

donegaLroad

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Once upon a time a Ryanair plane landed at the other airport in Derry.

I remember when this happened.. very funny.

donegaLroad

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Donegal is absolutely stunning.

Too many Nordies there though. Passed through Bundoran on the way to Fanad, and obv stopped in the wrong pub. OMG. (Must have missed the surfers locals lol).

But still, it is a great place, but difficult to get to really. Best way is to go to Sligo for a few days and enjoy the beaches, Rosses Point, Mullaghmore, Yeats grave, and Benbulbin and so on, then drive up. You will not be disappointed. Stunning.

It's the getting back is the killer, depending on where you have to get back to!

in fairness though, we do exist in exaggerated isolation in Donegal. I can be in Blanchardstown in 2 hours and 50 mins from Donegal town, with the new M3 roadway.

_Brian

Transport links and a lack of general geography would traditionally have stopped people travelling to Donegal and the other countiest in trav of Ulster but in the south.

A staggering number of people thought Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan were part of the north and so never had any interest in traveling to them.

I actuley thought the drive was very pleasant we stopped in Omagh for lunch, good roads all the way and motorway for some of it. It seemed a much easier drive than going to Kerry or west Cork. We stayed outside Letterkenny which is a nice town although it appears to have a two nightclubs one on either end of the main street, so I can imagine what it is like on weekend night.

HensVassal

English slappers

Utdfan20titles

HensVassal wrote: »

English slappers

And cheap beer

donegaLroad

mariaalice wrote: »

I actuley thought the drive was very pleasant we stopped in Omagh for lunch, good roads all the way and motorway for some of it. It seemed a much easier drive than going to Kerry or west Cork. We stayed outside Letterkenny which is a nice town although it appears to have a two nightclubs one on either end of the main street, so I can imagine what it is like on weekend night.

yes, Letterkenny can be mobbed on the weekends. Next time your up, Donegal Town is well worth a visit.

jmayo

cml387 wrote: »

Not being Longford

Jaysus see how much the horse racing set bring into Kildare.
13th most visited but 7th most spending.

HensVassal wrote: »

Accessibility.

I went to a wedding once in Letterkenny. I flew from Dublin Airport on a little turbo-prop puddle-jumper. The flight was great and was only about half an hour.....but when you land at Carrickfinn Airportstrip you are in the middle of nowhere. Takes a good hour and a half to drive to Letterkenny. Getting the bus there is also a pain in the bollocks.....not like flying down the motorway to Galway in 2 hours on the Citylink

Time to buy yourself or even hire yourself a car.

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Bundoran isn't Donegal, they're just stuck onto our arse coz no one else will take them off us.

What's your excuse for Ballyshannon

Look one of the big reasons has been the accessibility.
For decades Shannon was the first stop in Ireland and Kerry made huge gains because of it.
As our resident South Kerryman stated they have the tourist infrastructure. They have posh hotels, the low end hotels, they have what looks like millions of B&Bs and self catering accommodation for rent.
Killarney is nearly solely setup for tourism.
Kenmare is also attractive, has hotels, restaurants, etc.
Then you have Dingle on other peninsula.
They set up festivals like Puck fair and Rose of tralee to further attract visitors.
Only one I can of in Donegal is Mary from Dunloe and that is in halfpenny place in comparison to Rose of Tralee.

They have railway links into two major towns.
They have even larger small airport than Donegal.

The other thing is the further north you go on the West coast the ****tier the weather usually.
Mayo and Galway have some absolutely fantastic beaches, but I would probably rather walk on Inch or Glenbeigh because there are less chances you would be freezing your nuts off or being soaked to the skin. And I am not talking about sitting or swimming.
And this is in July/August.

Donegal is even further north and have spend a few weeks up there over the years.
Glenveigh is one of the nicest places in Ireland, absolutely beautiful on a fine summers morning before the visitors arrive and the drive across from Gweedore is great, but it is different world when there in rain and wind.