To celebrate St. Patrick's Day, here's the latest buzz from the Emerald Isle's travel scene—and there's plenty to share.
The Tour Operators
First some numbers: Last month, Brian Stack, managing director of CIE Tours International, reported a 20 percent increase in travel to Ireland, crediting the gains to The Gathering, which pulled in an estimated 4,500 additional visitors to CIE Tours and generated revenue in the neighborhood of $9.5 million. (The Gathering is a nationwide effort to bring the Irish diaspora home.)
Confidence in the country's tourism scene is "booming," Stack said, and the numbers reflect this: “CIE Tours brought 30,000 visitors to the Cliffs of Moher, 17,000 to Bunratty, 20,000 to the Guinness Storehouse and 13,000 to the Titanic exhibition in Belfast," Stack reported.
That kind of volume translates into a great ability to fine-tune the visitor experience so it remains top-notch and a consistent value for the money, Stack noted.
Sceptre Tours, meanwhile, recently launched its “Irish Welcome Homes" program, which focuses on top bed & breakfasts that offer local tours. The program includes 100 properties throughout Ireland that provide "local, curated, knowledgeable experiences" that large chain hotel in a big city would have a harder time providing, according to the tour operator.
Hotels
One of the biggest recent announcements for Ireland's hotel scene was Donald Trump's purchase of the Doonbeg Golf Club in County Clare. The club, which is in the process of rebranding to the Trump International Golf Links, Ireland, takes up more than 400 acres along the Atlantic Ocean and includes an 18-hole championship golf links course. The hotel is poised to remain largely untouched, though the golf course may see some renovation.
Then there's the just-reopened Parknasilla Resort & Spa in County Kerry, which has 500 acres of tropical vegetation. (Yes, tropical. Thanks to the Atlantic current the area even has palm trees.) The hotel sits right at the water's edge with islands, inlets and hidden beaches along the Wild Atlantic Way and Ring of Kerry. The hotel's classic Manor Rooms look out of the ocean, and the two bedroom lodges are a good pick for family and extended stays.
Ashford Castle, which recently joined the Red Carnation collection, reopened this past week with new tech elements (Wi-Fi access throughout) and updated rooms. The final phase of the hotel's renovation will take place from October 2014 – March 2015, and will include the installation of a 32-seat indoor cinema, a billiard room and a cigar terrace, as well as a children’s game room.
New Attractions
There are new and unusual attractions throughout Ireland, too: In January, the night skies above County Kerry received official recognition from the International Dark-Sky Association, which designated the area as an International Dark Sky Reserve, the first in Ireland and one of only seven in the world.
The new reserve is on the Iveragh Peninsula, a remote part of Ireland of around 270 square miles, with approximately 4,000 residents. The new Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve was also awarded “gold tier” status, the first time it has been awarded in the northern hemisphere. It is designated only for particularly clear and bright night skies, with easily visible phenomena such as the aurora, the Milky Way and meteors.
Airlift
And getting to Ireland has also gotten easier: This month, Aer Lingus is adding a sixth weekly flight between Shannon Airport and New York's JFK. The Irish flag-carrier had already planned to increase its service from three direct flights per week to five between the two hubs, but then announced an additional sixth flight.