Has the Wild Atlantic Way overlooked the smaller destinations?

POPULAR TOURIST CREATION IS A DECADE OLD BUT NOT ALL AREAS ALONG THE SCENIC ROUTE HAVE SEEN THE BENEFITS

WORTH over €3 billion a year since its inception and supporting 35,000 jobs in the region, for many the Wild Atlantic Way has been a huge success

For others, the old mantra ‘a lot done, more to do’ may be more appropriate.

Arguably one of the brightest tourism concepts ever devised, its 10th anniversary raises concerns as well as plaudits. Despite impressive figures, there is a lingering feeling the Wild Atlantic Way’s full potential has not raised all boats in the manner it should have.

The larger tourism spots from south west Cork, extending to north Kerry’s border with west Limerick, have all done remarkably well. But what about the smaller villages and towns that are off the beaten track? Can more be done to promote these destinations to tourists?

For example, communities in places such as Tarbert, Asdee, and Ballylongford feel they are situated at the ‘gateway’ to Kerry’s Wild Atlantic Way where volumes of people travel over in the Tarbert ferry to explore the region.

In 2019, a motion came before Kerry County Council complaining that Wild Atlantic Way road signs in Tarbert pointed tourists in the wrong direction. This has since been rectified but the result has not been much different.

The outstanding issue for many people in smaller coastal areas is that more needs to happen so tourists are aware of what they have to offer, both historically and scenically. Getting tourists to stop and stay a while, as opposed to simply funnelling them to Tralee, Dingle, and Cahersiveen, is one of the biggest challenges Fáilte Ireland faces as it celebrates its Wild Atlantic Way milestone.

Ballylongford-based Fine Gael Councillor Michael Foley explained how there is an increase in tourist traffic passing through his village on route to larger tourism enclaves. The feeling is very much that Ballylongford could be benefiting more.

“There is no point in having the Wild Atlantic Way and only directing people to Ballybunion, Ballyheigue, or Dingle. The small villages in between should also benefit as well,” he said.

“The communities know this is something they will have to work on. Several voluntary groups have already come together in recent weeks to devise a strategy. In Ballylongford, at the moment, we are looking to develop the church grounds. This would create more parking and a focal point for the village. We will have to think of some way to make this happen. We need tourists to stop and use the local bed & breakfast, bars, and shops. But we need help,” he said.

Michael believes a village like Ballylongford has history and culture in abundance. For example, it has Lislaughtan Abbey, Carrigafoyle Castle, the birth place of Irish patriot, The O’Rahilly, and one of Ireland’s most famous poets, the late Brendan Kennelly.

“Fáilte Ireland could come and meet us, so they could. They could advertise our area better. They are currently doing this ‘coast to coast’ plan between North Kerry and County Clare, which we’re still waiting for. That could be a start,” he said.

It was during the COVID pandemic and lockdown era when the Wild Atlantic Way in North Kerry came into its own. According to Cllr Foley, this is when people realised the scenic beauty they had on their doorstep. The effort needed to rekindle this interest should not be allowed fade away.

“That time felt like a template for how the Wild Atlantic Way should be enjoyed. It made everyone aware of what they had. Getting back to the time is what we need to do. We have a lot in North Kerry to offer that a little more promotion would help. We need to encourage more bus tours in North Kerry. If you can bring the people into an area, you can grow from it,” he said.

While these hidden communities feel there is ample funding to promote the Wild Atlantic Way, a plan to showcase locations and present them to tourists should now be the priority.

“That’s what the plan for the Wild Atlantic Way should be: working with area to best promote their offering. It has, in a way, been beneficial as we would see a lot of camper vans parked in the area come summer,” he said.

“The people are coming, but seeing the majority of cars passing through our areas going to places like Ballybunion can be a bit deflating. There is a lot that people are not seeing when they travel the Wild Atlantic Way. This is where our focus should be over the next ten years,” Cllr Foley said.