Why is Waterford left out on a lot of tourist Itinaries

looksee

If you look at Trip Advisor on a regular basis and note the itineraries that people post the main thing (American) people want to see is the Cliffs of Moher, then the Ring of Kerry. And Dingle. And in the other direction, the Giants Causeway. These are unmovable and the rest of the tour has to be made around them. Cashel can be squeezed in having gone from Dublin - (Glendalough -sometimes) - Kilkenny - Cashel - Killarney - Galway - Dublin. Cashel accounts for Tipp's figures; Kilkenny is a fly-through,-visit-the-castle. Though people do sometimes break the journey there. They generally don't 'do' the south east until a second or third visit.

One of the most frequent arguments you hear when visitors say they want to include Waterford for the crystal is people saying 'oh don't bother with that, its all made abroad anyway'. A couple of people pop up and say 'no, crystal is still made in Waterford, just in lesser quantities, and it is marked Made in Waterford'.

The county is relatively easy to sell, especially the Copper Coast and Lismore - the Greenway is more appealing to Irish tourists than overseas. The Viking triangle is gaining traction, but the rest of the city just does not have any appeal. If the council would chance reducing rates significantly in the city and get some of the little shops open with appealing contents and presentation it would help, but they are determined to work on the principle of better to get huge rates from a few than a little rates from many.

hardybuck

whisky_galore wrote: »

Why is Cork in the so-called Ancient East? Utter bollox.

Cork can thrive on its own without being lumped into the "East".

Cork is obviously a huge county. I bet if you broke it down to spend within Cork, you'd find that towns like Bantry, Kinsale, Bandon, Clonakilty, Skibbereen etc. had as much or more tourist traffic than Cork City and East Cork.

Harry Palmr

Even though "the glass" has not been significant presence in Waterford for years now it's legacy is certainly there for my money - it was the no effort, no brianer for tourism chiefs - just point the coach to Kilbarry. So they never thought seriously about diversification back in the 90s and early noughties which we are paying for now.

salmocab

As an outsider my view is that there is little going on in the city, I’ve stayed a few times but never really blown away by anything. However I’ve stayed in Dungarvan and visited a lot out that direction and there feels like there is a lot to see. If I was going for a short city break it’s not somewhere I’d really consider especially for the family. Again though would gladly go to a smaller coastal town.

whisky_galore

hardybuck wrote: »

Cork is obviously a huge county. I bet if you broke it down to spend within Cork, you'd find that towns like Bantry, Kinsale, Bandon, Clonakilty, Skibbereen etc. had as much or more tourist traffic than Cork City and East Cork.

It's not "East" of anything, bar Kerry.

West Cork and the city are jammed in summertime. North Cork is a bit of a backwater. East Cork has had its glory days.

noby

looksee wrote: »

If you look at Trip Advisor on a regular basis and note the itineraries that people post the main thing (American) people want to see is the Cliffs of Moher, then the Ring of Kerry. And Dingle. And in the other direction, the Giants Causeway. These are unmovable and the rest of the tour has to be made around them. Cashel can be squeezed in having gone from Dublin - (Glendalough -sometimes) - Kilkenny - Cashel - Killarney - Galway - Dublin. Cashel accounts for Tipp's figures; Kilkenny is a fly-through,-visit-the-castle. Though people do sometimes break the journey there. They generally don't 'do' the south east until a second or third visit.

This.

When the Wild Atlantic Way was started I know a few people argued for the inclusion of Waterford, but it didn't happen.
The WAW has been a roaring success, so then tourists were landing in Dublin, maybe spending a night there, then heading to the WAW.
Ancient East was conceived as a way to get tourists to spend at least one night this side of the Shannon before going to the WAW.

So while Waterford was included in the IAE, it didn't really fit in with the original branding of it, imo.

On a more local level, with domestic tourists, it is an awful shame that the Greenway in to the city is still incomplete - it has been a real shot in the arm for Dungarvan, Kilmac etc.

Deiseen

Jesus lads, if Waterford is a **** hole then I don't what can be said about the vast majority of places in Ireland.

Going on that logic, then apart from a select few nice towns in each county (not even all counties), there really isn't much to be offered and you could say that as a whole, Ireland is actually a bit of a ****-hole with some nice countryside on the side.

What is Waterford? Isn't it like 10th/11th most popular tourist spot in Ireland? We should be extremely worried if a total "****-hole" is in that position and I'd like to know where people describing Waterford as such, are actually from.

bullpost

Deiseen wrote: »

Jesus lads, if Waterford is a **** hole then I don't what can be said about the vast majority of places in Ireland.

Going on that logic, then apart from a select few nice towns in each county (not even all counties), there really isn't much to be offered and you could say that as a whole, Ireland is actually a bit of a ****-hole with some nice countryside on the side.

What is Waterford? Isn't it like 10th/11th most popular tourist spot in Ireland? We should be extremely worried if a total "****-hole" is in that position and I'd like to know where people describing Waterford as such, are actually from.

Most on here happily ignoring the facts to suit their agenda. The fact is we are playing catch up with the heavy hitters , but we;re going in the right directions and we have the history which we can market going forward. I expect the 2018 figures to reflect and improvement on 2017 and hopefully its onwards and upwards for the future.

TheQuietFella

salmocab wrote: »

As an outsider my view is that there is little going on in the city, I’ve stayed a few times but never really blown away by anything. However I’ve stayed in Dungarvan and visited a lot out that direction and there feels like there is a lot to see. If I was going for a short city break it’s not somewhere I’d really consider especially for the family. Again though would gladly go to a smaller coastal town.

I've been saying the same for years but there you go!

People here think Waterford is the only place on the planet with a coastline!
People in my simplistic view travel to experience 'CULTURE' but what ever
way you want to look at it we're in serious short supply of it in Waterford!

ImAHappyCamper

Tbh I'm happy out that Waterford is not too popular. It was great last summer during the heatwave to be able to go down to Dunmore East/Tramore/Copper Coast/Mahon falls etc and not be dealing with crowds of tourists. I would agree that the city needs to up its game though.

alta stare

First Up wrote: »

One where we know how to spell.

Jesus it must be a fun place full of folks like you so. I mean if that is all you could come back with then the person is just as pathetic as the post. Well done.

salmocab

Deiseen wrote: »

Jesus lads, if Waterford is a **** hole then I don't what can be said about the vast majority of places in Ireland.

Going on that logic, then apart from a select few nice towns in each county (not even all counties), there really isn't much to be offered and you could say that as a whole, Ireland is actually a bit of a ****-hole with some nice countryside on the side.

What is Waterford? Isn't it like 10th/11th most popular tourist spot in Ireland? We should be extremely worried if a total "****-hole" is in that position and I'd like to know where people describing Waterford as such, are actually from.

Just had a quick scan so I might be wrong but I don’t think anyone on this thread referred to Waterford as a sh1thole.

Harry Palmr

People on the internet love inventing an enemy to rail against.

Mysterypunter

Is Waterford a city? Someone tell that John Creedon muppet

First Up

alta stare wrote:

Jesus it must be a fun place full of folks like you so. I mean if that is all you could come back with then the person is just as pathetic as the post. Well done.

Sarcasm not one of your strong points then.

Lots of lovely spots around Waterford and lots of effort going into them. Ardmore, Dungarvan, Passage East, Dunmore East and amenities like golf at Faithlegg or Waterford Castle, Mount Congreve, the Greenway, the GIY centre (and the Harvest Festival). I've familiar with all of them.

But the city has little or no appeal and there's not much evidence of anyone trying very hard to improve it.

TheQuietFella

First Up wrote: »

Sarcasm not one of your strong points then.

Lots of lovely spots around Waterford and lots of effort going into them. Ardmore, Dungarvan, Passage East, Dunmore East and amenities like golf at Faithlegg or Waterford Castle, Mount Congreve, the Greenway, the GIY centre (and the Harvest Festival). I've familiar with all of them.

But the city has little or no appeal and there's not much evidence of anyone trying very hard to improve it.

Very true, there are quite an amount of beautiful places in County Waterford
but they are trying to flog the city like it's The Jewel of The Nile!
In reality the city is old and decaying with no modernisation or effective
planning put in place for its future. The quick buck is the only concern! :mad:

Franz Von Peppercorn

As a dub I prefer Waterford to Kilkenny. By miles. I mean it’s look and feel and the general atmosphere. It does need to have more to do.

beachhead

What's all the talk about no tourists going to the south east.What about east part of Leinster(Wicklow/Carlow/Kildare) just a "little" bit further up the coast.Sweet FA tourists around west wicklow since the invention of the ancient east and the wild atlantic way.It is a joke that Cork is in the East and I thought seeing Offaly in east a big enough p take

First Up

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote:

As a dub I prefer Waterford to Kilkenny. By miles. I mean it’s look and feel and the general atmosphere. It does need to have more to do.

I know Kilkenny is a bit too popular with hens and stags but I find it a much nicer city to visit than Waterford.

Franz Von Peppercorn

First Up wrote: »

I know Kilkenny is a bit too popular with hens and stags but I find it a much nicer city to visit than Waterford.

It’s a town to me. Waterford looks like a city. Nearly every inland town in Ireland is fuller than coastal towns and cities.

First Up

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote:

It’s a town to me. Waterford looks like a city. Nearly every inland town in Ireland is fuller than coastal towns and cities.

I'm not too bothered about the town/city thing. I just find Kilkenny a nicer place.

Harry Palmr

City?

Waterford is it's own worst enemy - once we discount all the other enemies. "Dublin" be it the gubberment, the civil service, the media or national organisations barely give us a thought. You can go a week without hearing the city's name mentioned on the airwaves short of a major crime happening whereas Galway and Cork esp are always talked of or referenced for some reason or other. We are a grey smudge in the south east which itself is overlooked by same. Will the NQP change this? Maybe. It'll be news for a day at most, unless it fails of course!

IspeakcozIcan

Waterford has the best collection of history museums in a urban centre outside of Dublin City. I don't think this can be disputed: where has better? The Medieval Museums of Treasures being particularly impressive and it is award winning.

Strongbow and Aoife got married in Reginald's Tower and it still stands.

Protestant and Catholic Cathedrals designed by same architect John Roberts - only example in Europe.

It's the oldest city in Ireland.

If you're interested in history, the city is a fantastic place to visit.

The J Stands for Jay

Waterford city doesn't have much going for it. Looks totally run down. I've no awareness of any tourist attractions there. There's some nice spots around the county, but not enough of a concentration to attract tourists. Maybe the copper coast could be promoted.

I've found Tramore to be a kip. Another place that time has passed by like Bray, Bundoran, Salthill or Courttown. Dunmore East was nice, but awkward to get to and bad experiences in a few pubs and restaurants.

First Up

IspeakcozIcan wrote:

If you're interested in history, the city is a fantastic place to visit.

I am interested in history and I've enjoyed hearing Jack Birchall hilariously describe the Viking period among other things.

But the city lacks atmosphere; shopping is poor; there are few nice places to ramble or eat/drink and as I said in my first contribution, the place seems to be taken over by its noisier citizens after nightfall.

Harry Palmr

Tramore is just a commuter town now - the days of cheap and cheerless cheerful bucket and spade holidays are largely over. City breaks is the thing these days.

IspeakcozIcan

McGaggs wrote: »

I've no awareness of any tourist attractions there. There's some nice spots around the county, but not enough of a concentration to attract tourists. Maybe the copper coast could be promoted.
.

:rolleyes::rolleyes:

The Greenway had over 250,000 visitors in its first year. I won't list all the awards it's won.

It actually starts from the City too.

IspeakcozIcan

First Up wrote: »

I am interested in history and I've enjoyed hearing Jack Birchall hilariously describe the Viking period among other things.

But the city lacks atmosphere; shopping is poor; there are few nice places to ramble or eat/drink and as I said in my first contribution, the place seems to be taken over by its noisier citizens after nightfall.

I actually did that tour and wasn't overly impressed.

I would recommend going and doing the tours in Medieval Museum, Bishop's Palace, and Reginald's Tower and seeing what you think.

Henry's VIII's only remaining item of clothing ( a hat) is in the Medieval Museum!

Noise wise: Kilkenny will always be noisier with stags and hens though? But I'm not here to bash KK - it's a great place with even better festivals.

Deiseen

First Up wrote: »

I am interested in history and I've enjoyed hearing Jack Birchall hilariously describe the Viking period among other things.

But the city lacks atmosphere; shopping is poor; there are few nice places to ramble or eat/drink and as I said in my first contribution, the place seems to be taken over by its noisier citizens after nightfall.

The North Quays development will hopefully sort many of these issues but I find it difficult to see how you'd say its noisey with drunk people at night. Literally every city that enjoys a few beers has this same issue.

Gorgeousgeorge

Jaysus i love waterford. Heading again on the 6th. Straight to the grattan bar for pintsðŸ˜