Ireland as a tourist destination!

SMASH THE UNIONS wrote: »

I don't expect to see men riding around on bikes with berets and baguettes in France. I expect to see French people.
I don't expect to see cowboys and Indians in America. I expect to see Americans.

What is an American though? A native American, white people?

France has had black people in it for century's because their right across from north Africa. These are all multicultural countries and have been for a long time, you can't just paint a picture of some white guy with a big nose, wearing a black and white stripy jumper and say that's what a French man looks like.

People have moved around and swapped cultures since the human race began, every culture is always in transition and the only way to stop it is to be like North Korea.

Clareboy wrote: »

I have often wondered why anyone would want to spent ( or waste ) their hard earned money coming to Ireland as a tourist or holidaymaker.

First of all, we have a lousy climate. Now I know people do not come here for the weather, so it is not such a big issue.

The most off putting aspect about travelling in Ireland is the high cost of travel, food and accommodation, when compared to our target markets of the UK, USA and Western Europe.

Our once beautiful countryside has been ravaged by uncontrolled housing developement of the most ugly, vulgar and inappropriate styles.

Public transport is a joke or non-existant throughout large areas of rural Ireland.

Our once famous ' Cead Mile Failte ' and friendly banter has been considerably watered down with the employment of vast numbers of foreign nationals in the hospitality sector.

Many villages lack such basic facilities as a public toilet, coffee shop, children's playground or bus shelter.

Our motorways and main roads do not have picnic sites or service areas and we all know the reason for that.

Why would anyone want to visit Ireland?

Any visitors out there who would like to enlighten me!

you remind me of a dude that came up to me on the salthill prom in Galway when my gf was trying to use the toilets. the first one would not open, the second one would. he started complaining about how poor the toilet facilities were then moved on to a rant about the government, though we were not complaining.

there is a lot to see and do on this island.

DB10 wrote: »

As Dunphy said, this country is a kip. The education and training system is a disgrace. The amount of people doing utterly useless FAS courses these days for their 200 + euro allowance is huge. I would to if I could.

People need to breed more to survive, and cherish their own family members in successful positions who can provide them with employment.

Education and Law is a pointless in this country. Due to its size, its all about connections. You can do practically anything with enough money/contacts.

does Dunphy ever say anything positive?

There must be something wrong with my EFL students so. They've been telling me about how friendly their host families and flatmates have been, how much fun they've had in the pub, especially the ones with traditional Irish music, and how much they loved their trips to the Burren, The Cliffs of Moher and the Aran Islands, particularly the sheer beauty of the landscapes on display.

But obviously they've been doing it wrong.

SMASH THE UNIONS wrote: »

You just don't get it, do you? More strawmen. Is that an offense against the charter, mods? I don't expect to see leprechauns and fair maidens dancing at the crossroads in Ireland. I expect to see Irish people.
I don't expect to see men riding around on bikes with berets and baguettes in France. I expect to see French people.
I don't expect to see cowboys and Indians in America. I expect to see Americans.

Is my point getting through to you? If you respond with more strawmen I will ignore you. I suggest you look up the term if you aren't familiar with it.

Do you also complain about North African people on the streets and in the shop when you visit France? Do you complain about Asians in the Uk? Turks in Germany?

When you visit a country, any country, do not expect them to put on a Disneyland-style nostalgic show for you. You can get that in theme parks and on telly. When you visit a country, you get to see it as it is. And Ireland is no longer an isolated poor rural rock somewhere in the Atlantic, it is part of modern Western Europe.
If you dislike honesty, stay at home.

Done this in college as part of a Tourism module, in shorts its not

SMASH THE UNIONS wrote: »

Umm, Ireland is my home.
I suggest you communicate this message to Bord Fáilte becuase they are still marketing their campaign of lies about Ireland's "céad míle fáilte", the land of saints and scholars, and the Irish craic.

Maybe they should update their pamphlets with the truth of modern Ireland: Nigerian asylum seekers, Roma gypsy beggars and Pakistani shop keepers. Let's see if our tourist numbers can fall any further.

Really?!

Only in Dublin do you really see a large population of people from other countries. Even then 9 out of every 10 people are Irish on Dublin streets.
How many Nigerians you see are actually asylum seekers? Or do you immediately assume every Nigerian is an asylum seeker? Most Nigerians are working professions and many also have Irish citizenship.

It's actually been a long time since I've seen a Roma gypsy in the city either. They all seemed to have gone elsewhere since the recession. Yes I do see more homeless people and beggars but most seem to be Irish to me.

Then go outside Dublin into the smaller towns and you'll rarely come across any foreign/immigrant people. Yes there might be a small minority of them, but they're nowhere as rampant as you put it out to be.

You might see many foreign people working in Hospitals as doctors and nurses and that's because the HSE needs more doctors and nurses, so they're not really "taking your jobs". And again if anyone comes to visit Ireland, they're hardly gonna visit a hospital to get an image of the Irish culture and society.

I spent a week in Westport not too long ago and we had a brilliant holiday, just as good as anything you'd find abroad. We were lucky with the weather. Beautiful scenery, great people - what's not to like?

DB10 wrote: »

As Dunphy said, this country is a kip. The education and training system is a disgrace. The amount of people doing utterly useless FAS courses these days for their 200 + euro allowance is huge. I would to if I could.

People need to breed more to survive, and cherish their own family members in successful positions who can provide them with employment.

Education and Law is a pointless in this country. Due to its size, its all about connections. You can do practically anything with enough money/contacts.

Have you been sniffing Tippex ?

af_thefragile wrote: »

^He is right to a fair extent...

Maybe in the context of another thread... FAS and education get slated in a thread about tourism.

So what does Ireland have to offer a tourist? I was in northern California for most of last year and I was asked to tell a work colleagues whose son was going on a European trip, where to go to in Ireland.
I listed the usual in Dublin - Guinness brewery, St. Stephens Green, Croagh park, Temple bar (I wouldn't go near this place on a night out but it's great for the tourists - theres nothing like this in California.) Grafton street, TCD, book of Kells, Phoenix park etc.
He was surprised that I could show him exactly where Bono lived (he's a big U2 fan).
He was interested in architecture so there is plenty of Georgian architecture in Dublin with lots of history behind them - Four courts, customs house, bank of Ireland, Aras etc.
Outside Dublin -Newgrange, Glendalough, The burren, Crough Patrick, Knocknaree in Sligo, Killarney, Galway, Connemara, Achill Island, Bogs (he didn't know what they were), castles, our national parks - there's plenty to see. They don't have sites like these anywhere in America, especially not with the history and scenery.
He loved it here. It was his favourite place he visited in Europe and he loved the pubs, people - how easy we were to talk to and how genuine we are, and was amazed by Newgrange - he couldn't believe its not better known. He liked the scenery, and how green it all is (When I showed him my house on google maps he asked how I keep my garden so green, "sprinklers?"!).

I realised that I hadn't seen most of those places I recommended and have been making an effort to go see them since I made a special effort to go to all the tourist spots while in California. So far this year I've been to Newgrange, Glendalough, Castletown house, Dublin Castle, Knocknaree, Hill of Slane, Trim castle, walked a lot of Dublin city and been to a few museums to name a few things. I have been going to a different place at least once a month and its been great. So many places in Ireland I had not bothered my ar$e to see that are all a close(ish) drive to me and it took me travelling half way across the world and telling an American about them to realise it.