According to Fáilte Ireland, the 2,600km route from Kinsale in County Cork to the Inishowen Peninsula in Donegal has helped create an additional 35,000 employees along the west coast of Ireland.
Based on the research, 121,000 employees in the western area are now supported by tourism.
2014 saw the introduction of the Wild Atlantic Way to the travel industry during Meitheal, the island’s biggest trade show.
This year, at Meitheal, Minister of Tourism Catherine Martin stated that Ireland’s standing as a “must-visit” travel destination is cemented by the success of the Wild Atlantic Way.
We have a lot to offer for a tiny island, including top-notch beauty, warm hospitality, events, sights, culture, history, and cuisine. It’s great to have so many companies at Meitheal this year to demonstrate to these foreign buyers and tour operators how diverse our tourist offering is.
From Malin Head to Kinsale, the Wild Atlantic Way brings in money and jobs for local companies and communities, according to Paul Kelly, CEO of Fáilte Ireland.
“Tourism is now worth €3 billion per year to the region. This growth has contributed to the creation of an additional 35,000 jobs in local communities, with tourism now supporting 121,000 jobs across the region.”
“Domestically, the Wild Atlantic Way is our most popular region with 51 percent of all domestic tourism revenue being generated there.”
“When we compare this internationally, based on the most recent data available, we see that inbound travel to Ireland grew by 45 percent between 2013 and 2019, well above the Northern European average of 25 percent. And the Wild Atlantic Way was a key contributor to this success with overseas visitor bed nights in the region growing by 60 percent across this period.”