Socio-economic analysis Doolin Pier Masterplan and Visitor Centre

Transcription

1 Socio-economic analysis Doolin Pier Masterplan and Visitor Centre June 2017

2 Contents 1.0 Introduction Review of relevant reports The Socio Economic Impact of the Proposed New Pier at Doolin - Raymond Burke (Appendix 3A: EIS Doolin Pier) Buses in the Burren 2014 A Study of the Impacts and Issues Review of relevant tourism and visitor data National Profile Visitors to County Clare & the Shannon Corridor Shannon Holidaymaker Study Doolin tourism & recreation product Doolin overview Accommodation Bars, Restaurants and Retail Attractions Events and Festivals Recreation Activity Providers Current & projected economic impact of pier-related tourism Estimated daily spend of visitors to County Clare Estimate of revenue from ferry ticket sales Estimate of passenger expenditure associated with the ferries Revenue from recreational activities associated with the pier Revised estimate of economic impact of activity associated with the pier Projected revenue Maximising Opportunities SWOT Opportunities & Linkages Recommendations & projected socio-economic benefits 27

3 7.1 Introduction Facility Provision Alignment with Fáilte Ireland s Large Grant Scheme 29 Appendices A1: Consultees 31 1

4 1.0 Introduction Doolin, located 20km to the south of Lahinch and 9km to the north of the Cliffs of Moher, has developed a reputation as a tourism hub over several decades. The visitor economy in Doolin has evolved in recent years from being a small scale visitor destination, based on the village being a destination in its own right with overnight visitors attracted by the scenery, traditional music and proximity of the Aran Islands, to a much busier albeit seasonal destination with a significant proportion of coach based day tour visitors. As well as traditional music and ferry tours to the Aran Islands and the Cliffs of Moher visitors are attracted to Doolin as a base for activities such as the Cliffs of Moher Cliff Walk, as a base for kayaking, surfing (with the surf suitable for advanced surfers only) and scuba-diving. Doolin is an ideal base to tour the wider Burren area following which it offers visitors a range of restaurants and renowned night-time entertainment. The domestic and overseas promotion of the Wild Atlantic Way is thought to have had a positive impact on the growth in visitor numbers for much of the west coast of the country with Doolin benefiting from being a Discovery Point on the Wild Atlantic Way. In addition the growth in day tour visitors is likely to have been a result of the success of the ferry operators based at Doolin Pier which have seen a significant increase in passenger number in recent years. Many of these coach day tours originate in Dublin and Galway and are visiting the Cliffs of Moher and Bunratty Castle as well as Doolin. The phenomenal success of the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre has brought capacity issues which has meant some day tour companies are directing clients to sea based tours of the Cliffs of Moher as an alternative to the visitor centre to ensure they can keep to their timetables and maximise capacity. Although many visitors to Doolin are on day tours many others stay overnight, whether on a groups tours or as independent visitors touring the Wild Atlantic Way or visiting the Doolin area specifically. There are now over 50 B&B s in the Doolin area, over 150 self-catering units along with two hotels, five hostels and two campgrounds. The town has several festivals and events and is a popular wedding and stag or hen destination. The growth in tourism has brought challenges with increasing conflicts arising between ferry operators with open touting and arguments at the pier; negative impacts from the significant coach traffic passing through and parking within a linear village; and conflicts between tourism providers who wish to encourage small scale sustainable nature & activity tourism in keeping with the ethos of the Burren & Cliffs of Moher Geopark, of which Doolin is part, and others who wish to capitalise upon what has effectively become mass tourism within a small village. While the growth of coach tourism associated with the ferry operators brings undoubted financial benefits for some, this may be at the expense of quality of life for the residents of Doolin and a high quality visitor experience that will encourage repeat visits and recommendations to others. For Doolin to have a sustainable future it will be essential that this masterplan address the issues arising and maximise available recreational opportunities, neither having a negative impact on the growth of tourism based on the marine environment but vitally providing opportunities for the town to grow year round visitor volume based on low impact nature tourism such as kayaking, walking, angling and surfing. It will also be critical that the overall visitor experience is enhanced in terms of safe pedestrian networks and a safe and pleasant environment so that existing tourism based on the character of the town is retained and visitors continued to be attracted to Doolin into the future. 2

5 2.0 Review of relevant reports 2.1 The Socio Economic Impact of the Proposed New Pier at Doolin - Raymond Burke (Appendix 3A: EIS Doolin Pier) This report on the socio-economic impact of the proposed pier development was prepared by Raymond Burke Consulting for Malachy Walsh and Partners, Consulting Engineers to Clare County Council, as part of an Environmental Impact Statement in relation to the proposed pier development. Given the EIS was required by An Bord Pleanála following a request by the West Coast Surf Club for the Bord to assess the requirement of the proposed development for such an EIS there is an emphasis on surfing as a recreational activity in the report. The report includes sections on: Surfing and surfing activity in the north Clare area Doolin including a profile of the town and sections on ferry operations, surfing, coastguard and the existing pier Socio-economic impact of tourism based on a series of assumptions of visitor behaviour, for example in relation to overnight stay The main findings and conclusions of the study are 1 : Doolin is a major tourism destination famed for its music and scenery, and, together with the Burren, the Cliffs of Moher and Spanish Point, forms a part of North Clare s destination trail; The existing pier in Doolin has significant economic and tourism importance; A number of ferry operators offer passenger services to the Aran Islands and the Cliffs of Moher, the latter destination becoming an increasing element of the business as the Cliffs was the fourth most popular visitor attraction in Ireland in 2010; The sea around Doolin is attractive to divers and sub-aqua clubs operate from the pier; The extent of tourist accommodation in Doolin is estimated to be 3,000 places. During high season, over 2,000 places can be occupied at any one time; Over 70,000 tourists use these ferries every year of which about 80% visit Inis Oirr; The pier facilitates three ferry operators who employ up to 40 staff at peak season, generating revenue of 1.1m p.a. in ticket sales. This is based on an average ticket sale of 15 per person and does not take into account any discounts or rebates e.g. for group travel; Tourists who use the ferry services are estimated to contribute 4.5m p.a.to the Doolin economy directly from their local spend. This is based on an average spend of 60 per person in Doolin and an estimated annual ferry passenger volume of 75,000 p.a.; The Inis Oirr population relies primarily on the ferry services out of Doolin for their tourism income. On the assumption the average ferry passenger to Inis Oirr spends 90, these ferry passengers [based on an estimated 80% of the total ferry passenger volume visiting the island) are estimated to generate a tourism spend of some 5.4 million p.a. to the Inis Oirr economy; The total average spend of surfers who surf Doolin is small, estimated at some 2,500 p.a., with much of it spent in Lahinch; Other marine activity based tourism e.g. diving, kayaking, angling, sailing, is thought to attract a total spend of 20,000 p.a in Doolin 2 ; The existing pier in Doolin has significant economic and tourism importance; 1 The Socio Economic Impact of the Proposed New Pier at Doolin - Raymond Burke, page 29 & 33 2 Ibid, page 29 & 30 3

6 Based on the above figures the total direct tourism value of the Pier to Doolin and Inis Oirr is estimated to be a total of 11 million p.a.; Applying the multiplier effect, the total economic value is estimated to be 16.3 million p.a.. However, as some indirect and induced benefits arise outside of Doolin and Inis Oirr, the leakage effect, the actual local economic value, assuming a leakage of 50%, is estimated to be 13.7 million p.a.; The study estimates an employment figure by applying a 60:40 ratio for Gross Value Added (GVA) to the figure of 13.7m to give a GVA figure of 7.4m p.a. This is based on a 2007 working paper which estimated that marine water based activities in Ireland generated 74.3m in turnover to the Irish economy of which was 40m was GVA (a measure of sectoral contribution to the economy). The 7.4 million is then estimated to support 134 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) positions in Doolin and Inis Oirr, applying a ratio of one FTE per GVA of 55,000. In relation to surfing the study found that: Surfing is a growing sport both nationally and internationally Fáilte Ireland actively promotes Ireland as a destination for adventure sport, and surfing in Ireland is achieving greater publicity particularly after the recent surfing championships at Bundoran; While surfing takes place around the island of Ireland, it is primarily on the west and south-west coasts with Clare, Sligo and Donegal being the principal surfing destinations Crab Island has a particular iconic surfing reputation. However, it requires a twenty minute paddle to reach it and is not for beginners; The numbers surfing Crab Island annually are not large, estimated to be less than 75 [annually], with numbers surfing Ballaghaline (Doolin) Point significantly less Domestic surfers are not big spenders with many of them limiting their visits to one day trips starting early in the morning and returning home late in the day While the economic impact of surfing at Doolin is not significant, the loss of Crab Island as a national, natural iconic facility could be significant from an image and tourism perspective The study views the benefits of the new pier, based on discussions to be: Provides certainty for the continuation of ferry services out of Doolin; Enhances health and safety for both passengers and visitors at the pier; A new sheltered pier would be more secure and avoid the need for trans-shipment and reduce the number of sailing days lost due to bad weather; This, in turn, would see an increase in the number of tourists using the ferries and enhancing the economic benefits to Doolin itself and Inis Oirr; Allow bigger and better vessels operate from Doolin; Would allow the existing pier to be used for other marine-related activities and enterprises. 3 It was thought a failure to develop the new pier would lead to: A continuation of the health and safety dangers linked with the trans-shipment process, as well as for visitors to and general users of the pier; A limit on the number of passengers using the ferries affecting the tourism and economic benefits particularly for Doolin and to Inis Oirr especially; Sustained congestion at the pier, particularly during the tourism season; Reduces the potential solutions for addressing surfer concerns regarding safe access to the waves. 4 Of interest to this study will be: the extent to which these figures for ferry passengers remain valid; 3 The Socio Economic Impact of the Proposed New Pier at Doolin - Raymond Burke, page 33 4 Ibid, page 34 4

7 whether the estimated average ticket spend, is valid; what proportion of ferry passengers would stop off in Doolin and spend in the town; consideration of the impact increased coach based tourism will have on the attractiveness of the town for the FIT market and whether some visitors are deterred from either a return visit or to recommend Doolin to others; whether the assumption about the low annual spend for marine based activity tourism are valid and whether additional facilities at the pier could encourage greater use and in turn associated visitor spend in Doolin. 2.2 Buses in the Burren 2014 A Study of the Impacts and Issues This report, commissioned by the Burren & Cliffs of Moher Geopark and published in 2015, aims to establish baseline information on the extent and impacts of coach tourism in the area. Some key findings for coach tourism in the Geopark area in 2014 were: Numbers There were 21,152 bus trips to and within the Burren carrying approximately 571,000 persons (based on the actual 17,980 buses and 485,963 passengers recorded at the Cliffs of Moher and a working estimate that 85-90% of all buses in the Burren visit the cliffs). 5 Bus tourism supports 235 full-time equivalent jobs in the Geopark area. 6 47% of all visitors to Cliffs of Moher came by bus. This proportion has increased significantly from 39% in 2009 and is on an upward trend, reflective of the rise in bus tourism. 7 Type of trip 52% of the bus passengers travelled on Private Multi-day Tours (typically tours of Ireland lasting 5 13 days), 12% arrived on Private Day Trips (typically educational groups, language schools, seniors groups, community organisations.), 36% or 175,361 persons, came as part of Public Licensed Day Trips, from Dublin and Galway (and to a much lesser extent from Limerick, Ennis and Cork). This sector is growing rapidly. 8 The Public Licensed Day Trips are sold directly to the public and need a route licence from the National Transport Authority licence holders are permitted to operate day tours to the Cliffs of Moher from Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Cork. Most are active year round on a daily basis. In 2014, they carried approximately 175,361visitors to the Cliffs of Moher, accounting for 36% of coach visitors. The top 3 operators on the route have carried 124,164 or 71% of these. This is 26% of all bus passengers (multi-day tours and day trips). 10 Timing & Routes Dublin buses set out between 0650 hours and 0730 hours via either the M6 (Galway) or M7 (Limerick). They arrive at the edge of the Geopark area around 1030 hours and leave the area around 1500 hours. They have lunch in Doolin and visit the Cliffs of Moher on either side of lunch in order to reduce congestion at the Cliffs or at lunch stops. Galway tours leave the central bus station at 1000 hours (one operator has a half-day tour commencing at 1300 hours). The itineraries thereafter are similar to the Dublin routes although they stay in the Geopark area until 1700 approx. Similarly, the Cork and Limerick routes are timed to be in the Geopark area from approximately 1030 hours, allowing a return to point of origin at hours Buses in the Burren 2014 A Study of the Impacts and Issues, Joe Saunders, 2015, page 14 6 Ibid, page 5 7 Ibid, page 5 8 Ibid, page 5 9 Ibid, page Ibid, page Ibid, page 25 5

8 The large majority of bus traffic enters the Geopark at either Ballyvaughan (N67) or Lahinch (R478). Lower volumes enter via Corofin/Lemenagh (R476 R480) whilst levels are very low via Corofin/Ballyportry (R460). 12 The prevailing traffic direction is clockwise using the R477 (Coast Road) and R480 (Ballyvaughan Lemanagh). Whilst there is little deviation from main routes by buses, almost all licensed day trips take lunch in Doolin and travel there via the R Economic Impact Excluding retail sales, the estimated total revenue in the Geopark area from the bus sector is 6.9 million. This includes revenue of 2.5 million on lunches, 2.25 million on accommodation and 1.4 million in visitor entry fees. 14 Separate detail for the proportion of visitors on multi-day tour that stayed overnight in Doolin were not available. Over 90% of licensed day trips make their lunch stop in Doolin, with purchase rates of approximately 60%. The lunch trade in Doolin has been very responsive to the bus operators, especially day trip operators. The latter are organising their itineraries in order to avoid each other and hence reduce congestion at both the Cliffs and Doolin. Approximately 113,217 lunches derive from this sector. Of the private tours, 161,200 passengers are offered the opportunity to take lunch within the Geopark/Liscannor/Lahinch area and with a variety of take-up rates, approximately 87,720 lunches accrue. Therefore, the total number of lunches taken by bus passengers in 2014 was 200,531, yielding revenue of 2,506,637. Although licensed day trips make up 36% of all buses, they purchase 56% of all lunches in the Geopark area ,361 Day Trip visitors had an opportunity to avail of retail opportunities in Doolin. Other retail operators have estimated bus passengers as providing between 16% and 40% of income and shops in Doolin especially have reported the positive effect of the rise in day trip tourism over the three years. Whilst there is considered to be strong positive economic impact from retail income, robust estimates cannot be made. 16 Environmental Impact While the report indicates the environmental impact of buses stopping and passengers alighting at the surveyed sites as localised but slight and capable of rapid recovery, it comments that current practices give rise to concerns about safety, access and the overall quality of the tourism experience. 17 Key Findings Some of the conclusions of the report are that: Total visitor numbers across the country are rising and bus tourism is rising as part of it. The Wild Atlantic Way has proven to be a strong brand and the industry is making strong use of it. We are likely to see a further rise in bus tourism focused on this route. 18 From a quality-of-experience perspective, particularly in a region whose reputation and brand is based on the quality of natural and cultural experience, heavy concentration of visitors brings potential for reputational damage. 19 As the numbers of buses are on a consistent upward trend and capacity at a number of locations is close to being breached, a do-nothing scenario is no longer justified Buses in the Burren 2014 A Study of the Impacts and Issues, Joe Saunders, 2015, page 5 13 Ibid page Ibid, page 5 15 Ibid, page Ibid, page Ibid, page 5 18 Ibid, page 6 19 Buses in the Burren 2014 A Study of the Impacts and Issues, Joe Saunders, 2015, page 6 20 Buses in the Burren 2014 A Study of the Impacts and Issues, Joe Saunders, 2015, page 6 6

9 3.0 Review of relevant tourism & visitor data 3.1 National Profile Overseas visitors Revenue to the Irish economy from international visitors is expected to reach 4.1bn in 2015, a rise of 16% on 2014, on the back of a record year for overall volume with almost 8.6m visitors arriving by air and sea. This comprised 7.8m overnight visitors, up 14% on 2014, and 850,000 day visitors. The category of visitors showing the strongest growth was holiday visitors with a rise of 20% on 2014, with those arriving for business up 10% and those visiting friends and relatives increasing by 2%. The favourable exchange rate and growth in visitors from Mainland Europe have contributed to a greater growth in revenue (up 16%) than volume (up 14%), reversing a decade long trend. It should be noted that these figures are estimates from the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation (ITIC) drawn from CSO data with the official data from Fáilte Ireland out later in Domestic visitors Domestic tourism also shows an upward trend. In 2014 there were 7.4m trips taken by Irish residents within the Republic with an associated revenue of around 1.5bn. This was an increase of 3% on the number of trips taken in 2013 and an increase in expenditure of 7% - echoing the trend for growth of revenue in excess of volume shown by overseas visitor figures. 22 The figure of 7.4m includes 3,696m who were on a short (1-3 nights) or long (4+ nights) holiday; 2,231m visiting friends and relatives, 350,000 business trips and 891,000 on other trips. The majority of domestic holidays in 2014 were taken in the South-West (23%), West (19%), South-East (16%) or Dublin (14%). Fáilte Ireland estimate 9% of domestic holiday were spent in the Shannon region in 2014 which includes Clare, Limerick, Offaly (West) and Tipperary (North). The most popular activities engaged in while on holidays for domestic holidaymakers in 2014 was hiking/hillwalking (22%) followed by visiting houses/castles (20%), visits to a spa (19%), national parks (18%), water-based activities (18%), gardens (16%), heritage/interpretative centres (15%), museums and art galleries (11%), cycling (8%), golf (6%), angling (2%), attending horse racing (2%) and equestrian pursuits (2%) Visitors to County Clare & the Shannon Corridor For the purposes of collation of visitor data Doolin is located within the Fáilte Ireland s Shannon region which includes Clare, Tipperary (north during the latest available statistics), Offaly (west) and Limerick. This section reviews headline data for the Shannon region and County Clare as a component of that region including Clare based visitor attractions. Shannon region and County Clare 21 ITIC, December Fáilte Ireland Fáilte Ireland

10 The Shannon region is the 4th most popular region after Dublin, the South-west and the West. In 2014 the region attracted 1,077m overseas visitors generating 326m of revenue, and 686m domestic visitors generating 135m. Shannon s overseas visitor numbers and associated revenue from are shown in Table 1. This shows that there has been a very significant growth in both visitor numbers (up 24%) and in visitor revenue (up 47%) over the period similar to the trend for County Clare. This buoyant trend at both a regional and county level indicates the potential for further growth could be considered strong. Table 1: Overseas Visitor Numbers and Revenue Shannon Overseas Visitor No s (000 s) Shannon Overseas Visitor Revenue ( m) , Source: Fáilte Ireland 2015 Fáilte Ireland s estimate of overseas visitor numbers and expenditure for the Shannon region by market in 2014 are set out below in Table 2. This indicates that around 34% of visitors came from Britain making it the largest market; around 31.7% of visitors came from North America, and 29.1% from Mainland Europe, with around 5% from other areas. Visitors from North Americas were responsible for a higher level of expenditure than visitors from the UK (35.7% vs 31.6%), with 26.9% derived from visitors from Mainland Europe. Table 2: Overseas Visitors to Shannon region (2014) Overseas (000 s) Visitors Revenue ( m) Market Share (%) No s Britain Mainland Europe North America Other Areas Source: Fáilte Ireland 2015 County Clare s overseas visitor numbers and associated revenue from are shown in Table 3. This shows that there has been a very significant growth in both visitor numbers (up 25%) and in visitor revenue (up 49%) over the period. Table 3: Overseas Visitor Numbers and Revenue Clare Overseas Visitor No s (000 s) Clare Overseas Visitor Revenue ( m) Source: Fáilte Ireland

11 Fáilte Ireland s estimate of overseas visitor numbers and expenditure for County Clare by market in 2014 are set out below in Table 4. This indicates that the largest market, with around 40% of visitors, came from North America, 28.7% from Mainland Europe and 25% from Britain. Almost half of all visitor expenditure in County Clare was from visitors from North America (47.6%) with 27.3% derived from visitors from Britain. While no data exists for the origin of visitors to Doolin it could reasonably be expected that the pattern would follow that for Clare County as a whole. Table 4: Overseas Visitors to County Clare (2014) Overseas (000 s) Visitors Revenue ( m) Market Share (%) No s Britain Mainland Europe North America Other Areas Source: Fáilte Ireland 2015 Domestic Visitors County Clare s domestic visitor numbers and associated revenue from are shown in Table 5. This shows that there has been a decline in domestic visitor numbers over the 3- year period but a significant increase between 2013 and Revenue has slightly declined over the period. Table 5: Domestic Visitor Numbers and Revenue Clare Domestic Visitor No s (000 s) Clare Domestic Visitor Revenue ( m) Source: Fáilte Ireland 2015 Overseas:Domestic From the data in Tables 4 and 5 it can be seen that in 2014 there were 561m overseas visitors (63.6%) to the county and 321m domestic (36.4%). In terms of revenue the split was overseas 128m (63.7%) and domestic 73m (36.3%). Clare Visitor Attractions An analysis of those County Clare s visitor attractions that provide data to Fáilte Ireland provides some insights regarding the distribution of visitors throughout the county, see Table 6 below. Table 6 Attendances at County Clare Visitor Attractions Attraction

12 1 Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience 720, , , ,134 1,080,501 2 Bunratty Castle & Folk Park 263, , , , ,339 3 Aillwee Cave & Burren Birds of Prey Centre 4 Burren Perfumery and Floral Centre 92, , , , ,000 20,000 45,000 45,000 5 O Briens Tower 82,884 77,220 89,747 56,025 30,564 6 Doolin Cave 15,500 20,000 22,000 25,000 26,000 7 Craggaunowen - The Living Past 20,878 21,044 20,737 19,573 21,673 8 Ennis Friary closed closed 15,747 22,272 15,967 9 Knappogue Castle 4,076 3,814 3,938 3,637 3, Scattery Island 1,584 1,344 1,121 2,821 2, Brian Boru Heritage Centre 1, , Source: Fáilte Ireland 2015 There was a significant decline in overseas visitor numbers at a national level between 2009 and 2012 from 8.3bn to 6.3bn with visitor numbers rising since to 7.1bn in Visitor data for County Clare have reflected this and have been steadily increasing since 2012 with the majority of attractions showing an increase over the last three years. The exceptions are O Brien s Tower, Knappogue Castle and the Brian Boru Heritage Centre with the latter two attractions having relatively low visitor numbers in general. The statistical evidence clearly shows that the very high numbers of overseas visitors to County Clare represents a significant market opportunity for the development of a high quality visitor centre at Doolin Pier. 3.3 Shannon Holidaymaker Study 2013 The most recent and relevant survey of visitor attitudes is a study carried out for Fáilte Ireland in 2013 along the Shannon Corridor. This study is of greater relevance than the Clare Holidaymaker Study as that study focussed on visitors to West Clare. The 2013 Shannon Holidaymakers study, an update to the one discussed in Life at the Lake A Roadmap for Experience Development and Destination Marketing , outlines some key findings including: The internet was the most popular means for visitors to discover the Shannon Corridor (34%) and to source information before they visited (79%) Visitors chose to visit the Shannon Corridor for the history/culture (24%) and visiting family & friends (19%) When visitors were in the Shannon Corridor they got their information from accommodation providers (43%), internet (39%) and tourist information offices (36%) Most visitors stayed in hotels (36%), followed by B&B s (21%) and family/friends (18%) with another 15% staying in cabin cruisers 10

13 The most popular places to visit were historic houses/castles (50%), interpretative centres (46%), traditional music/dance performances (27%), museums/galleries (21%) and national parks (19%) The most popular activities were boat trips (40%), golf (16%), fishing (8%), hiking/walking (7%) and cycling (6%) The top reasons for recommending the Shannon Corridor were beautiful scenery/countryside (75%), friendly people (65%), peaceful/relaxing (46%), lot of attractions (38%), location (32%) and history/culture (26%) 11

14 4.0 Doolin tourism & recreation product 4.1 Doolin overview Doolin has a wide range of visitor accommodation, suited to relatively small groups with no large hotels. There are over 100 accommodation businesses with 2,040 beds available and an estimated annual average occupancy of 43%. Doolin is renowned for traditional music and visitors have a choice of several vibrant pubs to choose from with live music. There are four restaurants in the village and several craft shops but no general shop. There are a range of attractions within the Doolin area, with many part of the Burren Ecotourism Network. The most significant attraction in the immediate area, and one of the three most popular attractions in Ireland is the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre. This has become so successful that some day tour operators have begun to direct clients to the ferry operators at Doolin for boat tours to the base of the Cliffs of Moher as an alternative to the visitor centre. This has resulted in a huge growth in ferry passenger numbers with nine ferries now operating from the new pier at Doolin Harbour. As well as the ferry operators people come to the pier to engage in surfing, kayaking, diving and walking along the coast, with many local residents and visitors coming to the pier area to converse and for the coastal views. 4.2 Accommodation There are approximately 105 accommodation businesses in the immediate Doolin area as shown in Table 7 below. This table also indicates the number of beds by accommodation type which gives a total of around 2040 beds for Doolin. This is based on accommodation known to Doolin Tourism. The figure for self-catering may well be significantly higher but data is not available. Using average occupancy figures for each category the annual estimated total figure for Doolin is 320,195 bed-nights. Doolin tourism estimate there are at least 2040 beds available, meaning c. 744,600 annual beds-nights; given they estimate the annual estimated occupancy at 320,195, this would indicate an average occupancy for Doolin of 43%. Table 7: Doolin accommodation by type and occupancy Type Units Beds Average Occupancy round) % (year Hotels ,045 Guesthouses ,063 B&B s ,405 Hostels ,932 Camping/RV ,000 Self-catering ,750 Total ,195 Annual estimated Occupancy (bed-nights) 24 Tir Gan Ean Hotel beside Hotel Doolin is currently closed but this will be reopening soon. 25 This is a conservative estimate based on Holiday Rental Schemes within the village that are known to Doolin Tourism. There are thought to be many more one-off houses in the environs of Doolin but no accurate data is available, In addition there are a number of former holiday villages in Doolin which now contain a mix of residential units and holiday lets, again no accurate data is available. 12

15 Source: Doolin Tourism 4.3 Bars, Restaurants and Retail Doolin is renowned for its nightlife including traditional music the village has three pubs, Fitzpatricks Bar, McGanns Pub, Gus O Connors Pub), four restaurants (Cullinan s Seafood Restaurant, Stonecutters Kitchen, Roadford House Restaurant, McDermotts Bar and Restaurant), as well as the bar and restaurant at Ballinalacken Castle Country House Hotel. There are several retail outlets in the town: Village Crafts & Doolin Deli, which specialises in sweaters, pottery, china and glassware, with the deli offering coffee, scones, sandwiches and groceries O Brien Crafts, which offers jewellery and knitwear Burren Stained Glass Art Irish Craft Outlet Irish Crafts The Clare Jam Shop 4.4 Attractions Visitor attractions in the immediate area include Doolin Cave ( Burren Smokehouse and the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre. For many the principle attraction of Doolin lies in the scenic countryside and coast and the proximity to the Aran Islands and to Cliffs of Moher with regular ferries available to visit both. There is a strong responsible tourism ethos in the Burren and wider County Clare area with many businesses in and around Doolin part of the Burren Ecotourism Network ( The network includes accommodation, artisan food, activity providers and walking & cycling trails. 4.5 Events and Festivals Doolin offers visitors several festivals throughout the year, with most taking place at Hotel Doolin. These include: Russell Memorial Weekend last Friday in February St Patrick s Day March 17 th Doolin Folk Festival June Doolin Craft Beer Festival August Doolin Saturday Market and Craft Fair 4.6 Recreation Activity Providers Ferry Operators There are two principal family owned ferry operators at Doolin Pier which offer cruises to the Aran Islands and sightseeing tours to the Cliffs of Moher. These are: Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher Cruises (Doolin Ferry Company) 26 Established in 1970 and owned by Bill O Brien it operates five ferries seven days a week from March to November and

16 Ferry s: MV Queen of Aran, MV Galway Girl, MV Pirate Queen. There will be another ferry coming into operation next year with a capacity of 200 passengers. A subsidiary company, operated by Bill O Brien s son Liam, operates two more vessels MV Tranquility and MV Collin Oirr Staff: 30 peak (June, July, August), 12 off-peak (Sep-May) Annual passengers: approximately 70,000 Groups: Approximately 35-40% Cliff Tours vs Islands: 50:50 27 Doolin2Aran Ferries and Cliffs of Moher Cruises (Liscannor Ferry Company Ltd) 28 Owned by the Garrihy family it operates four ferries seven days a week from March to November. Ferry s: MV Happy Hooker 96+4, MV Rose of Aran 96+4, MV Jack B 67+3, MV Doolin Discovery 72+3 Staff: 35 peak (June, July, August), 8 off-peak (Sep-May) Annual passengers: approximately 80-90,000 Groups: Approximately 25-30% Cliff Tours vs Islands: 40:60 29 Average spend per passenger: is estimated to be around when averaged across the two companies. Employment: between them the two ferry companies employ 20 people in off-peak and 65 in peak season (June, July, and August). Key issues for the ferry providers are shelter for passengers this is considered to be high priority equitable space from which to sell their tickets and promote their businesses a space that is of sufficient size to cope with 150,000+ passengers rubbish collection toilets safety significantly increasing small scale recreational use e.g. kayaking was not considered to be compatible with 9-10 ferries using the pier area. Doolin Tourism estimate that the total number of ferry passengers each year is conservatively estimated to be closer to 250,000 based on the volume of coach and car traffic Kayaking It is estimated that 1,000-1,500 kayakers would launch from Doolin each year currently with the majority of these experienced kayakers. Doolin pier area would not be particularly suitable for novice kayakers due to general sea conditions including backwash and swell, and danger from the ferries. North Clare Sea Kayaking operate out of Doolin but would launch from Ballyvaughan and Liscannor when taking out novices. However Doolin is considered offer strong potential for use by clubs to kayak under the Cliffs of Moher or along the north shore line. This would include kayak clubs from the UK as well as Ireland and would offer a very attractive kayaking destination. There is also considered to be potential for kayak surfing 30. Key issues for kayaking operators include a negative relationship with ferry operator and a perceived lack of promotion in the Doolin visitor information offices which are owned by the ferry operators. 27 Interview with Bill O Brien 28 and cliffsofmoher.ie and 3 others 29 Interview with Eugene Garrihy 30 Patrick Regan, North Clare Sea Kayaking 14

17 Facility provision: while extensive facilities for kayaking are not required at the pier provision of showers and storage areas would help position the pier as a multi-activity destination and not just a ferry pier. 31 Doolin Tourism estimate that kayakers only make up 500 bed-nights per year currently (100 at Doolin Hostel, with an additional number of kayak surfers), however there is considered to be good opportunities to grow this sector Surfing Crab Island location off the Doolin coast is an iconic surfing break and has been listed as one of the top 100 waves in the world. While this and Doolin Point are highly technical and only suitable for experienced surfers others come to surf at Doolin given the existence of these halo waves. Some key points are that the low season for surfing is in the summer season when there are light swells and mid-winter when there are heavy swells. Peak periods are considered to be spring and autumn with surfable days each year. Following the construction of the new pier and recent storms the wave break behind Doolin Pier has become more reliable and popular. This combined with the growing popularity of surfing means the potential for growth for this sector is strong. With more people surfing the competency level of Irish surfers is developing meaning Doolin Point and Crab Island are more attainable for a higher percentage of surfers. In the 1990 s only a few surfers in Ireland would have attempted to surf Crab Island and none Doolin Point, whereas in May this year Doolin saw surfers out daily with Doolin Hostel filling 150 bed-nights during May from surfers. 33 Overall Doolin Tourism estimate that surfers would fill 1,500-2,000 bed-nights in Doolin, which would primarily be off-peak season when the surf is best and ferries aren t operating. This is considered a reasonable estimate by the West Coast Surf Club who think there could be 1,500-2,000 overseas surfers attracted to the North Clare area with 50% staying in Doolin for 1-2 nights. Doolin Tourism estimate this could be increased to 6-10,000 bed-nights in coming years with the right facilities and promotion. 34 However the West Coast Surf Club consider this to be a high estimate and are of the view that surfing is at 75% capacity currently in the Doolin area. For safety surfing as an activity should not be heavily promoted to novice surfers with Lahinch a better location. 35 There are thought to be between 3,000 and 5,000 domestic day trip surfers attracted to Doolin each with an average spend of 15-20/head however no surveys exist to confirm this. There are not thought to be significant numbers of domestic surfers staying overnight in Doolin with most staying in Lahinch. Surfers do not really need additional facilities but changing rooms and showers would be welcome Scuba-diving Doolin is a relatively well known diving location with several clubs using the waters. In particularly Burren Sub-Aqua Club would regularly visit the area. In the 1990's to early 2000's Doolin Hostel would have on average 20 scuba diving clubs visit each year who would have travelled in groups of club members along with non-club members and staying for 2-3 nights i.e. 1,400-3,600 bed nights p.a. In 1993 Doolin Hostel build a large conference 31 Patrick Regan, North Clare Sea Kayaking 32 Doolin Tourism 33 Doolin Tourism 34 Doolin Tourism 35 Interview with Dave Flynn, West Coast Surf Club 12/07/16 15

18 room with changing rooms to target the diving market along with other activity markets. Scuba clubs are considered to be a high spending segment as they tend to be older (mid 20 s to mid 50 s), have families and high disposable income. 36 Key issues: the market has declined significantly which is considered to be as a result of displacement by ferry operators due to a lack of capacity at the old pier. In the last five years no scuba clubs have stayed at Doolin Hostel 37. While there is clearly potential to develop the scuba segment and the new bye-laws mean that the ferry operators must not use the old pier, which is to be used for smaller craft and activities, it will take some time for divers to realise they can have convenient access to the pier using the old pier. Facility Provision: provision of a secure storage area for tanks and equipment, possibly with a compressor would reduce the need to carry equipment for regular club users Other marine based activity Angling There is relatively little angling tourism in Doolin with only a few eastern European day trippers in summer months. However there are thought to be significant numbers of anglers currently coming from Galway to fish under the Cliffs of Moher. The new bye-laws opening up the old pier to new activities are thought to provide an opportunity for charter angling boats to operate from Doolin and there is thought to be potential to grow the popularity of angling in Doolin. Local fishermen would also like to see a place to store their gear at the pier. Adventure Activities Doolin is not thought to currently attract significant numbers of visitors who would engage in marine-based adventure activity such as stand up paddle boarding or coasteering or windsurfing. This is due to the summer swells and number of ferries in the area. Lahinch would be more popular. However participation in sports such as kayak surfing are thought to be growing. 38 Sailing Yachts would not overnight near Doolin due to the exposed nature of the coast Walking There are excellent walking opportunities from Doolin with coastal walks including the Cliffs of Moher Walking Trail with a local provider, Pat Sweeney, offering guided walks along the cliff walk ( from outside Gus O Connors pub on Fisher Street. The website for the walks recommends parking at the: Coastal Walk Trail Head at the Micho Russell Community Centre in Doolin (Approx 1.5km to Fisher Street); and Doolin Park and Ride car park with a daily shuttle bus service operating from the Park and Ride for the Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk. Issues: Many visitors have been observed parking along Fisher Street before beginning the walk. Opportunities: The coast near Doolin Pier is a one of the Burren & Cliffs of Moher Geopark s geosites and there are opportunities to engage visitors at the pier area. The Geopark will shortly be submitting an application for a Geopark Heritage Trail route in Doolin. While the planned route does not currently link to the pier there is thought to be scope to extend the route as part of a second phase. This would help link the pier to the village. 36 Doolin Tourism 37 Doolin Hostel 38 Interview with Lahinch Adventures 16

19 While the extension of a walking route along the coast to the north is thought to be problematic and possibly not desirable due to its SAC designation, there is thought to be scope to develop natural and cultural heritage interpretation at the pier visitor centre, with an emphasis on geology. The Burren & Cliffs of Moher Geopark staff should be involved in the developed of such interpretation Cycling The North Clare Cycle network, has Doolin as its hub. The ring offers four new cycle routes varying in distance from 18km to 47km with numerous shorter alternatives. There are a number of local activity providers including: Doolin Rent-a-bike Thomas & Yvonne McCormack offer bike hire and information Burren Way Mountain Bike Tours Provision of cycle racks at the pier visitor centre would encourage people to bring bikes to the pier area. 39 Interview with Eamon Doyle, Clare County Council 17

20 5 Current & projected economic impact of pier-related tourism To estimate current economic activity of tourism associated with the pier a similar approach to that taken by Raymond Burke in the EIS prepared for the new pier, and discussed above in 2.3, has been taken. Set out below are a series of calculations and associated assumptions. These include estimates of: daily spend of visitors to County Clare revenue from ferry ticket sales passenger expenditure associated with the ferries revenue from recreational activities associated with the pier Revised estimate of economic impact of activity associated with the pier This is followed by an estimate of future potential revenue from recreational activities associated with the pier. 5.1 Estimated daily spend of visitors to County Clare Given the split for county Clare between overseas and domestic visitors and applying these averages to Fáilte Ireland s estimates for daily visitor expenditure, a per diem revenue figure of 72 for each visitor can be calculated as shown in Table 8 below. Assumptions As discussed in section 3.2 above the split between domestic and overseas visitors in terms of visitor numbers was overseas 64% and domestic 36%. Fáilte Ireland estimate per diem visitor expenditure as Overseas visitors 64, Overseas holidaymakers 83, Domestic overnight trips 69, Domestic day trips Fáilte Ireland provide data for the volume of holidaymakers as opposed to visitors at a regional level only. For the purposes of this exercise an average figure for overseas visitors/holidaymakers of 73.5 is used. For the purposes of this exercise we are interested in overnight visitors to Doolin as we do not know the spending pattern of day visitors i.e. whether visitors to Doolin would be spending elsewhere, for overnight domestic visitors the revenue figure of 69 is used. Table 8: Estimated average daily spend per visitor to Co. Clare Category Ratio Average Applying per diem % s to spend ( ) per diem spend 41 Overseas visitors 64% Domestic visitors 36% Total average spend per visitor to Co. Clare 40 Fáilte Ireland An alternative calculation would be to multiply 64 overseas visitors by 73.5 giving 4704; multiply 36 domestic visitors by 69 giving Adding these together gives Diving by 100 gives

21 5.2 Estimate of revenue from ferry ticket sales Taking the estimated annual ferry passenger numbers and the average ticket sale figure an estimated total ticket revenue figure of 2.35m can be produced, as shown in Table 9. Assumptions That the number of ferry passengers is approximately 200,000 each year this is a midpoint between the figure estimated by the ferry operators and that estimated by Doolin Tourism. That the average ticket sale for the ferry is this is based on an average of the data provided by the two ferry operators. Table 9: Revenue from ferry ticket sales Passengers 200,000 Average ticket sale Total revenue estimate 2.35m 5.3 Estimate of passenger expenditure associated with the ferries Table 10 below indicates that the total estimated revenue from passenger expenditure associated with the ferries to the Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher is 5.86m with almost 50% of this expenditure from the 20% of passengers that stay overnight and 40% from ticket sales. Assumptions Around 20% of ferry passengers stay overnight, 50% are private coach passengers and 30% independent travellers. This is based on consultation with the ferry operators, Doolin Tourism, and Clare Tourism. 20% of private coach passengers using the ferries stop in Doolin and these spend an average of euros per person. This is considered to be due to the lack of capacity in the town due to the high volume of coach traffic from the Cliffs of Moher which means the main operators such as Paddy Wagon and Extreme Ireland do not stop in the town. Table 10: Estimate of passenger spend associated with the ferry Passenger Type Volume Average spend Total Spend ( ) % Total ( ) Revenue Overnight guests (20% of total) 40, ,880, Private hire 100, (based on 125, coach tour (50%) 10% of 100,000 spending each) Rest of ferry 60, , passengers (30%) Sub-Total 200, m 60.1 Ticket Revenue 2.35m 39.9 (from Table 7) Total Revenue 5.895m Revenue from recreational activities associated with the pier The principal recreational activities associated with the pier are surfing, kayaking, and diving with a very small amount of angling and other recreational activities. Based on information provided by consultees in terms of and the estimated average daily spend the estimated annual revenue figure for Doolin is each year, as shown in Table 11 below. 19

22 Table 11: Estimated revenue from recreational activities associated with the pier Activity Estimated overnight trips/day trips Estimated revenue based on an overnight figure of 72 and a day visit rate of 40 (based on domestic visitor rates) for kayaking, diving and angling and 15/day for surfing ( ) Surfing 1500 overnight/4000 day trips 108,000+60,000=168,000 Kayaking 500 overnight/500 day trips 36,000+20,000=56,000 Diving 100 overnight/1000 day trips 7,200+40,000=47,200 Angling 200 day trips 8,000 Other adventure activity e.g. coasteering, kayak surfing 200/200 14,400+8,000=22,400 and Stand up Paddle Boarding (SUP) Guided walking 0 0 Total estimated revenue 301, Revised estimate of economic impact of activity associated with the pier Table 12 below outlines a summary of the data above. It includes a figure for the value of tourism originating from Doolin to the Inis Oirr community for use in Table 13 below. Table 12: Revised estimate of economic impact of activity associated with the pier Revised Estimate Total bed spaces in Doolin 2,040 Annual ferry passenger 200,000 numbers Peak season ferry staff 65 Average ticket sale Ticket sales revenue 2.35m (based on 200,000) Average spend of ferry pp ( 3.545m/200,000) passengers Direct spend from Doolin ferry passengers 3.545m (based on 200,000 pax) Inis Oirr spend 200,000 x 55% = 110,000 x = 5.5m Average spend of 301,600 recreational activities Total direct tourism value of 11.7m pier to Doolin and Inis Oirr (2.35m+3.545m+5.5m+301,600 Table 13 below compares the revised economic estimate with that outlined in The Socio Economic Impact of the Proposed New Pier at Doolin. Points to note are: Total bed spaces in Doolin are considered to be 30% lower Annual ferry passenger numbers are significantly higher 42 Revised from an earlier estimate of 90/head contained in The Socio Economic Impact of the Proposed New Pier at Doolin as outlined in section