Chamber says Emigrant and Norman stories to boost town
PRESIDENT of Wexford County Chamber Sean Reidy said the €10m investment in tourism in New Ross will lead to longer stay times for tourists in the area, meaning more money will be spent within the district and county as a whole.
Mr Reidy said: ‘There are two things happening that are really important in New Ross. One is the bypass which will take the busy N25 traffic and trucks out of the town. It opens up the possibility of getting creative about how to get more footfall into the town.’
Mr Reidy said getting visitors to stay in New Ross has been challenging because most arrive on a bus and visit the Dunbrody Visitor Experience, prior to leaving within two hours, often without visiting the town centre.
He said developing a Norman trail taking in St Mary’s Church and the High Hill will make people want to stay longer in New Ross.
‘From my experience here the dwell time is very limited. Coach tourists move on very quickly. This is a potential game changer. Hopefully it will mean more bed nights in the area and maybe investment in more hotels as the accommodation sector could do with investment. It’s like a chicken and egg situation.’
He said the Wexfordia tourism package will increase stay time within the district, adding that there will be enough of a tourism product in New Ross alone to warrant overnight stays for international visitors.
‘There are two separate story-lines running here. The emigrant story at the Dunbrody which does very well. The other big story is the Norman story. My feeling is that they should focus on the emigrant story here in the Dunbrody centre. The Murphy building is to include the Ros Tapestry and the Norman and William Marshall story, as some elements that are depicted in the tapestries depict Norman history. You also have the William Marshal connections with St Mary’s, Baginbun and Tintern and Hook Lighthouse,’ Mr Reidy said.