All walkers welcome in Wicklow

Up to 30 community, business and voluntary interests have gathered together in Tinahely, Co. Wicklow to launch the 'Walkers Welcome' initiative, with support from Fáilte Ireland. Fáilte Ireland will provide training and promotional opportunities for any business in Tinahely who, as part of the initiative, is committed to providing walker friendly services. These can range from packed lunches, places to leave wet gear, transport to and from walks and the provision of walking guides amongst other things.

Responding to the needs of walkers a series of 'Walkers Welcome' charters have been developed. These charters are a commitment from the local community and tourism providers to offer the best walking experience possible in the area by providing:

• Guaranteed regular maintenance and upkeep of local walks; 
• A local walking officer offering assistance and advice;
• Walks information, including mapboards and signage,
• Local 'Walkers Welcome' approved accommodation;
• Local amenities committed to providing walker friendly service in shops, pubs and cafes (for example; the provision of packed lunches, spaces for mucky walking boots etc).

Tinahely is one of five areas chosen to become part of the 'Walkers Welcome' initiative which aims to raise the standard of service walkers can expect from their walking holiday in Ireland.
 
Approx 150 local businesses and tourism providers in the five 'Walkers Welcome' areas have already signed up to these charters. Visitors to these areas are encouraged to look for the 'Walkers Welcome' logo to be assured of a warm welcome with ample information and services to help them enjoy their walking experience in the area.
 
Other locations involved in the initiative, some of which are due to be launched in the coming weeks, are:

• The Burren, Co. Clare 
• Donegal Town and surrounding area
• Slieve Blooms, Counties Laois and Offaly
• The Glen of Aherlow, Co.Tipperary

Walking is an essential part of tourist traffic to Ireland and, with the wide range of quality walks in the region, it is now critical to ensure Wicklow, is meeting and exceeding the expectations of our walking visitors. Investment of up to €500,000 in recent years by Fáilte Ireland, and additional investment by Wicklow County Council and County Wicklow Partnership throughout the county has resulted in a significant increase in the number and quality of walks throughout Wicklow.  
 
There are many walks as well as other fantastic outdoor activities available in Wicklow. Tinahely is located in a prime spot along the Wicklow Way, which is 127km in length and facilitates long distance trailwalking across some of Co Wicklow’s most spectacular scenery. In the surrounding area of Tinahely, there are also a number of shorter linear and looped day walks in beautiful scenic areas.
 
Over the last two and a half years 130 National Looped walks have been developed throughout the country with support from Fáilte Ireland and the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. These walks come under a number of themes including Nature, Island, Mountain and Coastal and the local communities, who have taken great pride in developing them, are reaping the benefits with people coming to the areas, doing the walks and spending money locally. (See note for more information).
 
Speaking today Ciara Scully, Development Officer for Fáilte Ireland explained:
 
“The guiding principle behind the 'Walkers Welcome', that all participating tourism operators and the local walking community make it a priority to deliver an outstanding walking experience to all walkers in the area, presents a great opportunity to develop the area, increase visitor numbers and grow revenue for all.
 
I am delighted that Tinhealy, as one of only five locations nationally to be picked for this initiative, now has an enormous opportunity to increase the profile of County Wicklow as a centre of excellence for walkers.”
 

ENDS

*Picture available on request**
 
For further information please contact:

Laoise Bray
Communications Officer, Fáilte Ireland
01 8847195 / 086 0404788
                  

Note for editor

Walking in Ireland
Ireland may not be your typical beach destination, but what it does offer, above many other destinations, to domestic and overseas visitors, is a green, clean, attractive place to come and enjoy outdoor activities.
 
Walking in Ireland represents the largest opportunity for growing visitor numbers to Ireland with over half a million (517,000) overseas visitors taking part in a walking activity in 2008, spending an estimated €364 million in Ireland.
 
Based on Harris Research 2008 commissioned by Fáilte Ireland the USA, Germany, the UK & the Netherlands shows the greatest potential for attracting walking visitors.
 
According to this research there are potentially more than 1 million UK residents who would par-take in walking in Ireland in the next three years. This figure is closely followed by 900,000 German visitors, 800,000 visitors from the USA and 700,000 visitors from the Netherlands.  
 
Additionally our 2008 Visitors Attitudes Survey found that Walking, (including hiking and cross country), is seen by holidaymakers as a premier product, with one in every four holidaymakers mentioning it as an activity they have taken part in during their holiday. This figure rises to one in every three among Mainland Europeans who display high satisfaction ratings with the quality and price of this activity.
 
Fáilte Ireland is committed to developing the walking offerings that are being made available to both overseas and domestic visitors and are currently engaged in a number of initiatives, and support programmes, with local communities helping them to welcome walkers with open arms and to understand the economic value of walking activities can offer their local economy.
 
'Walkers Welcome'
Fáilte Ireland has introduced the 'Walkers Welcome' initiative which aims to raise the standard of service walkers can expect from their walking holiday in Ireland. Responding to the needs of walkers a series of 'Walkers Welcome' charters have been developed.
 
These charters are a commitment from the local community & tourism providers to offer the best walking experience possible in the area by providing:

• Guaranteed regular maintenance and upkeep of local walks; 
• A local walking officer offering assistance and advice;
• Walks information, including mapboards and signage,
• Local Walkers Welcome approved accommodation;
• Local amenities committed to providing walker friendly service in shops, pubs and cafes (for example; the provision of packed lunches, spaces for mucky walking boots etc).

Approx 150 local businesses & tourism providers in five walkers welcome area’s have already signed up to these charters and visitors to these areas are encouraged to look for the 'Walkers Welcome' logo to be assured of a warm welcome with ample information and services to help them enjoy their walking experience in the area.
 
There are amazing areas to walk in Ireland and some key “Red carpet” areas are:

• The Burren, Co. Clare (Walkers Welcome)
• Donegal Town & surrounding area (Walkers Welcome)
• Co. Wicklow using Tinahely as a base (Walkers Welcome)
•  Slieve Blooms (Walkers Welcome)
• The Glen of Aherlow, Co.Tipperary (Walkers Welcome)
• Connemara
• Kerry-Killarney
• Beara & Sheep’s Head Peninsula’s, Co.Cork
• Our Off Shore Islands

National Looped Walks
Over the last two and a half years 130 National Looped walks have been developed throughout the country with support from Fáilte Ireland and the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. These looped walks are developed and maintained by local communities with the support and funding from Fáilte Ireland and the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (CRAGA). The walks come under a number of themes including Nature, Island, Mountain and Coastal and the local communities, who have taken great pride in developing them, are reaping the benefits with people coming to the areas, doing the walks and spending money locally.
 
The Walks Scheme
In addition to the Looped Walks, with the Walks Scheme supported by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and through rural development companies we are now seeing goodwill from farmers and land owners maintaining walks going through their land. Currently there are over 1,000 farmers signed up to the scheme & Rural Recreation Offices and the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs plan to build on this figure over the remainder of 2009 and into 2010.
 
This development gives visitor’s greater confidence as to the quality of walks available through regular maintenance and upgrading etc.
 
Rural Recreation Officers
In 2008 12 Rural Recreation officers were appointed to the rural development agencies with a responsibility for rolling out the walks scheme in their areas & the development of walks. They have been liaising with farmers, rolling out the walks scheme for landowners and working very closely with local communities’ aswell as Fáilte Ireland to help them promote their areas to walking visitors.
 
Fáilte Ireland, the national tourism development authority, was established in 2003 to guide and promote tourism as a leading indigenous component of the Irish economy.
 
The tourism and hospitality industry employs an estimated 250,000 people and generates more than €6 billion in revenue a year.

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