nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

Child Item

Waterford Tourism

Deiseen

I see Fáilte Ireland have published their tourisms figures by county for 2017.

It shows a drop in the number of people visiting Waterford from 2016, which is strange because we were told the Greenway was a massive success.

Interesting to note that Wexford managed to get 654,000 domestic trips to our 327,000. Fair play to them. Kilkenny slightly ahead on numbers but behind in the amount spent.

Either way, with our mountains, greenway, coast and a decent offering in the city, we should be doing way way better than we are.

Document is here:

http://www.failteireland.ie/FailteIreland/media/WebsiteStructure/Documents/3_Research_Insights/2_Regional_SurveysReports/2017-topline-regional-tourism-performance.pdf?ext=.pdf

Find more posts tagged with

Quick Links

Comments

TheQuietFella

debok wrote: »

Waterford was packed out most weekends this year. Place could be standing room only and you would still say everywhere,anywhere else is better.

Maybe during Spraoi it was packed but don't exaggerate!

Deiseen

TheQuietFella wrote: »

debok wrote: »

Waterford was packed out most weekends this year. Place could be standing room only and you would still say everywhere,anywhere else is better.

Maybe during Spraoi it was packed but don't exaggerate!

They get a bit more tourists than us but they tend to spend more in Waterford overall.

So unless Fáilte Ireland are exaggerating too, then I think you might be wrong...

TheQuietFella

Deiseen wrote: »

They get a bit more tourists than us but they tend to spend more in Waterford overall.

So unless Fáilte Ireland are exaggerating too, then I think you might be wrong...

I think that you're contradicting yourself in this statement so if you don't mind you might try to explain it a little better. It's just me!

Deiseen

TheQuietFella wrote: »

Deiseen wrote: »

They get a bit more tourists than us but they tend to spend more in Waterford overall.

So unless Fáilte Ireland are exaggerating too, then I think you might be wrong...

I think that you're contradicting yourself in this statement so if you don't mind you might try to explain it a little better. It's just me!

You know you could just check the figures yourself...

Since you need it spelled out to you...

They get about 10% more tourists than us overall but we get about 20% more revenue from thr ones that visit us.

Hardly beating us off the planet, both counties could do better

TheQuietFella

No D' you're just not seeing it!

914

TheQuietFella wrote: »

Have a walk around Kilkenny on a good weekend and see who's leading who!

I hate this whole waterford/kilkenny debate about who's busier, very hard to compare like for like.

Kilkenny has narrow streets with very little pedestrian areas. Hence you have 10 people on one of Kilkennys narrow footpaths combined with bumper to bumper traffic and they place looks jammers. Put the same 10 people in broad street in waterford (very wide pedestrian area) with no cars and it leaves the impressive that its dead quiet, but both performing the same.

Kilkennys three main streets would fit on Waterford's south quays, we have a far larger centre and much more spread out so comparing walking around both areas on the weekend is just silly.

Kilkenny do a great job and always have done attracting tourists, thankfully we have begun to embrace tourism and it is beginning to pay off.

Adyx

Deiseen wrote: »

They catching up on us thou!!

We really need a sarcasm smiley. :pac:

It's really not a competition (or at least not between the South East counties). A busy tourist season in the SE is good for us all. It's the other regions we should all be competing against. One city/county on it's own isn't big enough to put in the work needed to compete with the SW, Wild Atlantic Way etc.

Deiseen

Adyx wrote: »

Deiseen wrote: »

They catching up on us thou!!

We really need a sarcasm smiley. :pac:

It's really not a competition (or at least not between the South East counties). A busy tourist season in the SE is good for us all. It's the other regions we should all be competing against. One city/county on it's own isn't big enough to put in the work needed to compete with the SW, Wild Atlantic Way etc.

Oh i know, Waterford and Kilkenny are roughly on par when you add it up. So no comp just looking to improve as we are both way behind.

Wexford lagging behind in overseas visitors but roaring ahead with domestic so fair play to them.

Azatadine

Deiseen wrote: »

Didn't mean to say it wasn't really. But just didnt expect to see a dip in numbers after it opened.

I live close to it and use it regularly. I used to use it before it was a greenway too.....

However, there is no doubt in my mind based on what I see, the numbers using the Waterford to Kilmac section is way down on last year. I cycle from Bilberry to Carrolls cross and back maybe 3-4 times a week and that section is pretty quiet compared to last year. Maybe the Kilmac to Dungarvan section is still busy though?

Chiparus

Cortecs wrote: »

I live close to it and use it regularly. I used to use it before it was a greenway too.....

However, there is no doubt in my mind based on what I see, the numbers using the Waterford to Kilmac section is way down on last year. I cycle from Bilberry to Carrolls cross and back maybe 3-4 times a week and that section is pretty quiet compared to last year. Maybe the Kilmac to Dungarvan section is still busy though?

Actually think the initial spike was locals all having a look, it seems to me to be busier on the weekends with real tourists.

Wanderer78

Cortecs wrote:

However, there is no doubt in my mind based on what I see, the numbers using the Waterford to Kilmac section is way down on last year. I cycle from Bilberry to Carrolls cross and back maybe 3-4 times a week and that section is pretty quiet compared to last year. Maybe the Kilmac to Dungarvan section is still busy though?

Kilmac to dungarvan still seems fairly busy to me, but I'm rarely on the Waterford to kilmac section to compare

Chiparus

deise08 wrote: »

Really bothers me too! But unfortunately, we're not actually on the Atlantic, we're on the Celtic sea.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_Sea

Funny how Cork can be on the Wild Atlantic way and the Celtic sea.:rolleyes:

Azatadine

Wanderer78 wrote: »

Kilmac to dungarvan still seems fairly busy to me, but I'm rarely on the Waterford to kilmac section to compare

Yeah, I know that visitors from Wexford (just as an example) tend to do the Kilmac to Dungarvan section.

The sooner they sort that traffic mess down by Bilberry the better. It doesnt create a great inpression for visitors to the Bilberry section.

Wanderer78

Cortecs wrote:

The sooner they sort that traffic mess down by Bilberry the better. It doesnt create a great inpression for visitors to the Bilberry section.

Unfortunately I'm not convinced fixing the traffic issues will resolve much, as I suspect that the word has gotten around that the kilmac to dungarvan section is just a lot nicer, largely due to the scenery

Azatadine

I think youre right. That being said, the section from Killoteran to Kilmeaden by the river is stunning on a summers evening around dusk.

Wanderer78

Cortecs wrote:

I think youre right. That being said, the section from Killoteran to Kilmeaden by the river is stunning on a summers evening around dusk.

Use to regularly walk it prior to the opening, it is stunning

Harry Palmr

That used to be haunt of mine when I lived in Killoteran, great photography opportunities.

Regardless of scenery though the Bilberry stretch HAS to be developed properly. It's a genuine eyesore with the old Stanley Plant, Fastnet yard esp not to mention those hideous apartments near the Red Bridge that look like they got accidentally dropped by the Almighty.

azimuth17

In the Bilberry landscape, the apartments at the Greenway entrance, are reasonably well designed and well kept. They are hardly objectionable except those who take exception to everything that's not two storey semi detached.. The Stanley plant was demolished three years ago. If you could see the apartments and not miss the Stanley foundry demolition....

mooseknunkle

Cortecs wrote: »

I live close to it and use it regularly. I used to use it before it was a greenway too.....

However, there is no doubt in my mind based on what I see, the numbers using the Waterford to Kilmac section is way down on last year. I cycle from Bilberry to Carrolls cross and back maybe 3-4 times a week and that section is pretty quiet compared to last year. Maybe the Kilmac to Dungarvan section is still busy though?

Im the same as yourself id walk or cycle from Bilberry to Kilmac 6 days a week either in the morning afternoon or evening and im seeing the opposite to you,its quite enough monday to wednesday but from the thursday to sunday its packed,even yesterday morning with the rain and wind it was full with cyclists,the numbers of people walking it are down id say but the number of couples/families/groups cycling it are way up from last year.

Ive walked the entire greenway and im my opinion the carriganore to kilmeaden section is the best part you have beautiful views of the river suir and mount congrave then the train going up and down,but none of this gets mentioned when people talk about the greenway its always the kilmac to dungarvan section that gets talked about and dont get me wrong that is great too but the city needs to promote the city side more.

And as others have said from the quay to bilberry looks terrible they really need to get started on the route along the riverside if thats ever going to happen,also hotels should start doing 3 day packages with bike hire etc get people into the city and spending money,its good to see the old court hotel back open as the greenway manor hotel so maybe they are going to start things like that.

Azatadine

azimuth17 wrote: »

In the Bilberry landscape, the apartments at the Greenway entrance, are reasonably well designed and well kept. They are hardly objectionable except those who take exception to everything that's not two storey semi detached.. The Stanley plant was demolished three years ago. If you could see the apartments and not miss the Stanley foundry demolition....

I don't think anybody has an issue with the apartments in Bilberry? I think it's the section of road from the bridge to the greenway car park that are terrible. The road surface is in bits on that section now too.

Harry Palmr

azimuth17 wrote: »

In the Bilberry landscape, the apartments at the Greenway entrance, are reasonably well designed and well kept. They are hardly objectionable except those who take exception to everything that's not two storey semi detached.. The Stanley plant was demolished three years ago. If you could see the apartments and not miss the Stanley foundry demolition....

Well duh, the site is still there, an eyesore and the Watergate carbuncles are exactly where they shouldn't be. Love to know who thought granting PP for an isolated cluster of flats on that road made ANY sense.

mooseknunkle

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Well duh, the site is still there, an eyesore and the Watergate carbuncles are exactly where they shouldn't be. Love to know who thought granting PP for an isolated cluster of flats on that road made ANY sense.

Its privately owned and the council were in talks with the owner to bring the greenway along the river and up to bilberry,but thats over a year ago and nothing heard about it since.

They are a mixture of houses and apartments,and not really isolated anymore are they,they look like a great place to live to be honest.

Chiparus

mooseknunkle wrote: »

And as others have said from the quay to bilberry looks terrible they really need to get started on the route along the riverside if thats ever going to happen,also hotels should start doing 3 day packages with bike hire etc get people into the city and spending money,its good to see the old court hotel back open as the greenway manor hotel so maybe they are going to start things like that.

Also the route for cyclists from the city is poor, and worse coming back, to cycle back to one of the Quay hotels a cyclist has either the cross the river negotiate a dangerous roundabout and then cycle back over the bridge , or turn right at the distillary and follow a circuitious path through the city.
Waterford city is really missing out on the greenway potential.- but the city is not very cycle friendly , all you have to do is look at how poorly the Manor street contraflow cycle lane design is .

Harry Palmr

Was thinking about that. Gratten Quay could be widened as it approaches the bridge it could be widened and drop down so you cycle under the Rice Bridge, obviously the quay on the other side would need to be filled in and swept down as well.

edit - I've just looked at the pix - there isn't enough hight between river level and bridge underside to cycle under unless the cycle path was isolated within a large concrete culvert structure which would cost a lot.

Chiparus

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Was thinking about that. Gratten Quay could be widened as it approaches the bridge it could be widened and drop down so you cycle under the Rice Bridge, obviously the quay on the other side would need to be filled in and swept down as well.

edit - I've just looked at the pix - there isn't enough hight between river level and bridge underside to cycle under unless the cycle path was isolated within a large concrete culvert structure which would cost a lot.

Far simpler to have a cycle lane that allow the cyclist to go straight across the road, plenty of them in Dublin. Cycled on one today that allows cyclists to cross from ST Stephens green west to the bus/cycle lane on Lower Leeson street.

Cabaal

Chiparus wrote: »

Waterford city is really missing out on the greenway potential.- but the city is not very cycle friendly , all you have to do is look at how poorly the Manor street contraflow cycle lane design is .

Have to agree, the situation around the bridge is not very cycle friendly at all and they seriously need to focus on solving this, especially if they want to make Waterford more welcoming to cycling families,

Squidvicious

To be fair, there hasn't been a whole lot of Kilkenny v Waterford stuff on this thread. The obvious thing to my mind is to market the two together. Okay, domestic tourists on a weekend break will probably go for one or the other but there is scope to bring foreign tourists to the south east by combining the two. There's a hell of a lot to see between the two. It's hard for either on their own to compete with the likes of Kerry or Galway but put the two together and it could be quite a package.

One key for Waterford though would be to upgrade hotel facilities. There's nothing in the City or Tramore that's got enough of a wow factor. Hopefully, that will change.

Cabaal

Squidvicious wrote: »

To be fair, there hasn't been a whole lot of Kilkenny v Waterford stuff on this thread. The obvious thing to my mind is to market the two together. Okay, domestic tourists on a weekend break will probably go for one or the other but there is scope to bring foreign tourists to the south east by combining the two. There's a hell of a lot to see between the two. It's hard for either on their own to compete with the likes of Kerry or Galway but put the two together and it could be quite a package.

One key for Waterford though would be to upgrade hotel facilities. There's nothing in the City or Tramore that's got enough of a wow factor. Hopefully, that will change.

Def should be a push to market Kilkenny & Waterford together, one example is cycling.

Push to make the old N9 road a more cycle friendly route, as it stands its actually not a very busy road from Knocktopher to Waterford already so it wouldn't take much.

This would create a cycle network between Kilkenny City - Waterford City, you'd then have a cycle route from Waterford to Dungarvan and eventually Waterford to New Ross once that greenway opens.

Three county's connected by a cycle network very easily, this can benefit everyone!

hardybuck

Cabaal wrote: »

Def should be a push to market Kilkenny & Waterford together, one example is cycling.

Push to make the old N9 road a more cycle friendly route, as it stands its actually not a very busy road from Knocktopher to Waterford already so it wouldn't take much.

This would create a cycle network between Kilkenny City - Waterford City, you'd then have a cycle route from Waterford to Dungarvan and eventually Waterford to New Ross once that greenway opens.

Three county's connected by a cycle network very easily, this can benefit everyone!

I used to dread driving on that road, cycling on it could be very stressful and dangerous for tourists. You'd end up competing with tractors, lorries and farm machinery...if you wanted to push cycling maybe something to encourage people to bring their bikes on the train between Kilkenny and Waterford.

While I'm no history scholar, I would have thought there was quite a lot of Norman history which both counties would share. Americans go nuts for castles - you could see a little 2-3 day tour package working out nicely for them.

fargojones123

Cabaal wrote: »

Def should be a push to market Kilkenny & Waterford together, one example is cycling.

Push to make the old N9 road a more cycle friendly route, as it stands its actually not a very busy road from Knocktopher to Waterford already so it wouldn't take much.

This would create a cycle network between Kilkenny City - Waterford City, you'd then have a cycle route from Waterford to Dungarvan and eventually Waterford to New Ross once that greenway opens.

Three county's connected by a cycle network very easily, this can benefit everyone!

They shouldn't have given up on the Three Sisters idea