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Picture: Valerie O’Sullivan
The number of visits to Office of Public Works sites in Kerry in 2022 highlights the importance of continued investment in such facilities, one Kerry councillor has stressed.
482,100 out of total of 15,000,000 visits nationwide were to OPW-run sites according to official figures and it shows the popularity of Kerry as a tourism destination as well as pointing to the need for further investment, Cllr Michael Cahill has said.
The figures show:
- Approximately 290,000 people visited Derrynane House in 2022
- Over 86,000 visited Ross Castle in Killarney
- More than 43,000 passed through the Blasket Island Visitor Centre
- 12,000 sightseers visited the Blasket Islands
- Gallarus Castle in West Kerry attracted over 19,500 visitors
- 14,000 people went to Skellig Michael
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“Many thousands also travel the Ring of Kerry, the Slea Head route, Killarney’s lakes and other attractions and we must be mindful of maintaining and improving facilities and attractions for the good of all,” Cllr Cahill stated.
“Practically every business, big and small, in Kerry benefits from tourism and many family incomes depend upon it,” he added.
He said the opening of the South Kerry Greenway in the next couple of years will easily double the numbers of visitors to Kerry and, Cllr Cahill said, there is a need to push for improvements to roads, footpaths and wastewater systems to ensure the county is fully prepared to deal with the increased footfall, bringing with it, business opportunities and employment.
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