Record year as 66,000 visit famine ship in 2016
THE DUNBRODY famine ship tourist attraction recorded its strongest year ever with 66,000 visitors, and counting, in 2016.
CEO Sean Connick said 7,000 more people visited the Dunbrody ship this year compared to 2015.
‘It has been a great year and a record year as visitor numbers to the famine ship exceeded 66,000. These are people who paid to go on the ship. We had more people on the ship than in the year of the JFK50 event in 2013,’ Mr Connick said.
He said 2016 was a fantastic year for tourism in Ireland, with a 17 per cent growth in visitor numbers recorded when compared to 2015.
Mr Connick said the New Ross attraction benefited from the Ireland’s Ancient East initiative and from dedicating resources to promoting the famine ship, Kennedy Homestead and the arboretum.
‘ We’ve been chasing down the work and have been out promoting the projects here. The whole area is working better together right across the Hook Peninsula which I call the Riviera of the country.’
He said Fáilte Ireland’s ancient east initiative has brought a whole new dynamic to the region.
‘It’s very exciting and from next year on we will really start seeing the benefit to the area. Group marketing and increased relations between the various attractions across the
south east will reap big rewards. People are more aware of each other’s attractions and are not working in isolation so much any more.’
The centre has had new tour bus enquiries for 2017, with interest from the lucrative Indian and Chinese markets also growing.
‘ We have met Indian and Chinese market representatives, and while our core market remains European, Canadian and American, the interest is encouraging.’
The Kennedy Homestead had around 10,000 visitors in 2016, also significantly up on 2015.
Mr Connick said the Fellowship of the Ring of the Hook marketing campaign has been another positive for the area this year.
‘From the Hook Lighthouse to us in New Ross and projects like Kilmokea House and Dunbrody Abbey in between people are starting to see how much the area has to offer, from being assured a really good time to being assured of fantastic food and amazing beaches. New Ross is at the centre of the Norman Way and there will be really exciting news in the New Year as the town has such a unique selling point being the only town founded by one of the world’s greatest ever knights, William Marshall. The history of New Ross is just amazing!’