Greenway has ‘undersupply’ of accommodation

Judges say Greenway has ‘undersupply’ of tourist accommodation


Áine Ryan

THERE is an undersupply of tourism accommodation in the immediate Newport and Mulranny areas. That is according to the adjudicators of the European Destination of Excellence (EDEN) competition, won recently by the Great Western Greenway. In their report to Mulranny Tourism Committee, who made the application to participate in the EU wide competition, the judges highly praised the level of ‘of entrepreneurship’ that has delivered the country’s first Greenway.
The judges said: “The level of positive cooperation between the community, the landholders, the local authority and the businesses is quite remarkable …The voluntary element of the work to date is particularly impressive.”
They also noted that the high-level of community buy-in was central to the success of the project and that local businesses were already benefiting directly with a recorded increase in trade. 
“The project demonstrates a high capacity for sustainable growth over time, particularly with the extension of the Greenway to both Achill and Westport, which is underway, and eventually to Galway and Clifden.”
However, they also remarked that: “There is a possible undersupply of tourist accommodation in the immediate area around Mulranny and Newport. It is an emerging destination – one which had a hey-day in the past but which fell out of vogue and has now been reinvigorated through the creation of the Greenway along the line of the disused railway.”
Announced at the beginning of May, the prestigious EDEN awards are designed to encourage and promote a more sustainable form of tourism development.
Welcoming the news at the time, Minister of State for Tourism and Transport Michael Ring told The Mayo News that this was ‘a superb win for the area from Westport to Newport, Mulranny and Achill‘.
He said: “The Great Western Greenway is a perfect example of the type of innovative project which this country needs for a sustained economic recovery. This project, which has crucially involved the local community in its development, is now generating extra visitors, revenues and jobs for Mayo.”