MONEY Tourism is Mayo’s cash cow

You can eat the scenery


Bríd Conroy believes that elusive pot of gold is lying right under our feet

Money Matters
Bríd Conroy

It’s been said to me on occasion that you can’t eat the scenery. Well I believe you can. Last year, 5.9 million overseas visitors came to Ireland, spending €3.4 billion between them – an average of €580 per person. Hiking, cross-country walking and cycling accounted for a staggering 71 per cent of all activities engaged in by these visitors.
Here in Mayo we of course are playing our part in this with the new Greenway starting at Westport and finishing at Achill. I recently completed the Westport to Mulranny section in aid of Mayo Cancer Support and Rock Rose House. It was spectacular. All age groups were out on their bikes. The scenery was stunning of course. Traders along the route are reporting so far a 20 per cent increase in trade, and Newport has virtually turned into a little French Village.
Tourism really is the way forward for us in the West. On holidays in Greece recently, I was struck by how vibrant the island was that we visited. Their young are not emigrating. They’re staying home to run businesses and making the most of what they’ve got, scenery and sunshine. Ok, the sunshine thing maybe won’t work for us, but our tourists are not looking for this.
They’re coming to cycle and hike. They’re coming for the culture and heritage. Visitors from mainland Europe – the fastest-growing group of visitors – want to experience our natural attractions and the local food, drink and cuisine. British sightseers want beautiful scenery and lots to do and see.
Just over 1.1 million visitors came to the west in 2010. There is enormous potential to increase this number and to fly them directly to the West. Knock Airport currently has a capital investment programme of €25 million. However, some of the facilities tourists rightly expect are not in place and in some cases will actually be a disincentive to their return.
So now really is the time to put this right, to demand the facilities needed to grow this industry in the right direction – and perhaps to get off our bums and do our bit, in whatever small way we can. There are several organisations in Mayo that are there to help. For example, South West Mayo Development Company based in Newport have a number of measures designed to help local people encourage tourism, including schemes to help with diversification into non-agricultural activities, support for business creation, encouragement of tourism activities and village and countryside renewal.
Projects which provide viable on-farm alternative enterprises are particularly favoured for funding. For example, facilities for outdoor leisure and adventure pursuits and the renovation of farm buildings for tourism purposes. Indeed, any enterprise that seeks to help the region achieve a greater number of visitors will be considered as ideal for funding.
Westport is now promoting itself as the ‘Adventure Capital of Ireland’ and the Greenway is a great start. I would encourage everyone to get on the their bikes or hire them if need be (noticed the number of new bike-hire businesses?) and see what a resounding success this Greenway is. See for yourself the enormous potential that exists to bring the right kind of tourism and jobs to our spectacular part of the world.

BRID CONROY FCCA is a Chartered Certified Accountant with a practice in Louisburgh. She works on improving personal finances and the profitability of small and medium-sized businesses. To contact Brid, call 098 66870 or theoldschool@iolfree.ie.