Limerick gets tourism boost with Wild Atlantic Way gateway city status
Limerick is building a reputation as an ideal city break destination and the perfect base for exploring the highly successful touring route
Limerick’s new designation as a Wild Atlantic Way Gateway City will build on its strong geographical and cultural position in the west of Ireland and close proximity to the highly successful touring route, which stretches along the Atlantic coast from Donegal to west Cork.
Fáilte Ireland has committed to developing Limerick as a compelling visitor destination and base for exploring the Wild Atlantic Way, under a new Gateway City strategy announced by the tourism body last Monday.
“Limerick has so much to offer, from history and heritage to fantastic food with amazing attractions, including King John’s Castle, the Hunt Museum and the Milk Market,” Miriam Kennedy, head of the Wild Atlantic Way at Fáilte Ireland, said.
“It is also easily accessed by both land and rail and has a large accommodation base, making it an ideal city break destination and the perfect base for exploring the Wild Atlantic Way.”
Limerick welcomed more than 600,000 visitors from overseas in 2019, and 349,000 domestic tourists, accounting for combined tourism spend of more than €300 million for the Limerick economy.
The draft Limerick Wild Atlantic Way Gateway City Strategy will act as a roadmap for the development of Limerick as a leisure tourism destination, leveraging the city’s tourism offering while also emphasising its proximity to the coast.
Its aim will be to bring local experiences to life and leverage the opportunities the Wild Atlantic Way presents to sustainably increase the economic benefit of tourism to Limerick over the next five years.
“Consumer research carried out for the Limerick Wild Atlantic Way Gateway City Strategy highlighted the potential for Limerick to position itself as a city break destination with a great tourism offering and the perfect base for exploring the Wild Atlantic Way,” Kennedy said.
“The draft strategy provides a five-year focus to deliver a collective ambition to transform Limerick into a compelling visitor destination and a base for exploring the Wild Atlantic Way.”
The new strategy has been two years in development between Fáilte Ireland and Limerick City and County Council in collaboration with industry partners across the county.
It would build on a number of development projects, “bringing local experiences to life” and leveraging the opportunities the Wild Atlantic Way presented to sustainably increase the economic benefit of tourism to Limerick, Kennedy said.
