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Orna Holohan Tourism Officer – & Council 20th November 2018 Tourism in Waterford:

1. Context 2. What has been Achieved (current situation) 3. Looking Forward A. Enhancing Existing and Developing New Experiences B. Improved Promotion C. Collaboration to Improve Visitor Experience 4. Visit Waterford Group 5. Tourism Analysis & Promotional Plan 6. Q & A Tourism Figures 2013 - 2017

Visitors 2013 2014 2015 Up/ 2016 Up/ 2017 Down Down Domestic Bed 242,000 255,000 285,000 334,000 327,000 Nights

Revenue €49 million €59 million €63.8 million €63 million €58 million

Overseas Bed 225,000 255,000 263,000 273,000 255,000 Nights

Revenue €45 million €52 million €75 million €73 million €69 million

Total Visitor Bed 467,000 486,000 548,000 607,000 582,000 Nights 3yr Average - - 500.3 +9.3% 547 +5.9% 579 Total Revenue €94 million €111 €138.8 €136 million €127 million million million 3yr Average - - €114.6 +12.2% €128.6 million +4.1% €133.9 million million Context: Access

Travel Arrivals Time 2016 <2 13,862,177 Airport hrs Cork <2hrs 1,109,067 Airport Rosslare 1hr 421,000 Europort Waterford n/a 14 ships / Cruise 7,498 Ships passengers Context: Brand

Ireland’s Ancient East New Midlands Brand Wild Atlantic Way Northern Dublin Context: Waterford in Ireland’s Ancient East

From the City to the Sea, with the Mountains, Rivers and Epic Tales between...

Context: Putting Waterford on the Map Context: What attracts International Tourists?

Context: Activities Enjoyed by Domestic Visitors

Context: Waterford & the Surrounding Area has the Capacity for Growth

• The untapped tourism potential in Waterford means it has significant potential to grow.

• Waterford and the surrounding areas have all been identified as areas for growth – packaging experiences that encompass more than one County will create a diverse range of offerings for visitors. What has been Achieved? Investment in Key Attractions WCCC in collaboration with key partners has played a leading role in tourism development over the past ten years: • Product Development • Marketing • Infrastructure

€19mil €18mil €15mil €6mil €2mil Waterford City Urban Renewal Works €10mil €8mil €1.4mil invested in festivals annually Smarter Travel / Public Realm

After Before Waterford Greenway: Summer 2017 V 2018

Bilberry WIT

Durrow Strandside () Waterford Greenway: Aug Bank Hol 2017 V 2018

Bilberry WIT

Durrow Strandside (Abbeyside) Attraction Figures

VISITS TO TOURIST ATTRACTIONS 2016 2017 Waterford Greenway (Mar – Dec) N/A 248,000 The House of 188,574 197,705 Waterford Museum of Treasures 96,613 109,218* Waterford and Suir Valley Railway 27,400 28,611 24,422 26,000 Lismore Heritage Centre 23,000 25,000 Lafcadio Hearne Japanese Gardens 17,000 Source: Fáilte Ireland’s Survey of Visitor Attractions / Individual attractions

* 2017 figure includes the King of the (excluding the opening day).

22 Cruise Calls with 18,918 visitors and 9,433 crew in 2018 Looking Forward: Grow Tourism by 15% Annually By 2022, deliver a minimum of 1 million tourist bed nights annually

Waterford 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2022 Actual Figures Projected Total Visitor 467,000 486,000 548,000 607,000 582, 000 1,170,610 Bed Nights (+ 9.3%) (+ 5.9%) (+ 15% year on year)

Total Revenue €94 million €111 million €138.8 €136 €127 €255.3 million million million million (+12.2%) (+ 4.1%) (+ 15% year on year) How?

• Enhance Existing Attractions • Continue to Develop / Promote / Support Festivals and Events • Develop New World Class Visitor Experiences • Increased Promotional Spend and Consolidate the Waterford Brand • Improve Collaboration with Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland, Tourism Stakeholders in Waterford and South East Enhance Existing Attractions WATERFORD GREENWAY . Famine Workhouse in . Train Station in Kilmacthomas . Viking Site . Interpretation and play areas . Connecting the Waterford Greenway to Waterford City centre and the North Quays Waterford Treasures

Plans are progressing for new developments: . A new exhibition, The Story of Irish Silver - from the Vikings to the Victorians, is opening in The Deanery in 2018 . The Irish Museum of Time will open in Greyfriars in 2019 . An interactive experience bringing to life the intriguing story of glass making in Waterford will add to the Bishop’s Palace existing offering in 2019. . Enhanced Viking Focus – each exhibition should start with the Vikings, clearer demarcation of the Viking Triangle

MOUNT CONGREVE

Over the next three years there will be significant investment in the development and marketing of Mount Congreve to ensure it is firmly put on the map for international visitors. Continue to Support Festivals & Events

500k+ Visitors Develop New World Class Visitor Experiences WATERFORD CULTURAL QUARTER CULTURE & CREATIVITY: Interplay of people and place

INCLUSIVE SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIVE ENGAGING DISTINCTIVE Everyone Long term New ways of Exciting, Waterford, has a voice. organic doing things, interesting, unique, growth encouraging attractive inspiring Celebrating experimentation difference THE NORTH QUAYS

• 17.5 acres • 1km Water Frontage • Retail, Hotel, Visitor Centre, Office, Residential • Transport Hub: Motorway / Train / Greenway • Linkage with City Centre/ Apple Market Shopping Development

Projected Figures: • 10million footfall per annum • 1 – 2million tourists per annum THE NORTH QUAYS: Purpose Built Visitor Centre Increased Promotion and Consolidate the Waterford Brand • New website & associated digital presence – official launch Jan 2019 • Additional promotional spend of 600k from 2019 – 2021; tender for promotional plan has been awarded to Crowe • Consolidate brand: Capture the Viking heritage of Waterford and align with Ireland’s Ancient East

+ New Website Tourism Ireland

Visit Munster Waterford Vales Group

Improve Collaboration WCCC Failte Ireland

Voluntary Tourism Chambers Groups Visit Waterford Group

Visit Waterford is a Working with local Our vision is that membership group and national Waterford becomes that will promote stakeholders to the number one Waterford City & influence the long- tourism destination County to the term strategic in the South East domestic & development of and Ireland. international Tourism in tourism markets. Waterford. Participants to Date

Promotion of Key Activities & Attractions

Heritage Gardens Sea & Coastline

Outdoor Food Cultural & Iconic activities Experiences

Shopping/Retail Nightlife Festivals

Accommodation Sports Why people are getting involved

• Framework for the promotion of Waterford City & County in both the domestic and international tourism markets. • Access to a digital and video image bank that will support them in promoting their business and the destination. • Participate in Visit Waterford campaigns to promote the region and their business. • Explore funding options from National & European Bodies to promote tourism in the City & County- e.g. Leader, EU etc. • Networking and information meetings to allow city and county stakeholders to work together to promote and market the destination – collaboration / cross-selling

Tourism Analysis & Promotional Plan

Nov 2018 Dec 2018 Jan 2019 End of Jan 2018 Marketing Product Promotion Measurement Activities Analysis Programme Programme Analysis Thank you [email protected] www.visitwaterford.com Accommodation Offering

Facilitate the development of hotels / other accommodation offerings to grow capacity and range to meet market demands / trends

Waterford Premises Rooms Beds Hotels 5* 1 39 78 4* 6 376 913 3* 15 1,008 2,662 2* 1 10 20 FI Approved 1 18 42 Total 24 1,451 3,715 Using the 2017 average national occupancy rate of 60% for hotels - Waterford can accommodate up to 813,585 visitor bed nights in hotels Context: Tourism Performance 2017

International Visitors Domestic Trips Total Total Visitors Revenue Ireland 9 mil €4.9 billion 9.6 mil €1.9 billion 18.6 mil €6.8 billion Irl (-Dublin) 3.1 mil €2.9 billion 8.1 mil €1.6 billion 11.2 mil €4.5 billion South East 1 mil €271 mil 1.4 mil €253 mil 2.4 mil €524 mil Waterford 255,000 €69 mil 327,000 €58 mil 582, 000 €127 mil

Ireland figures (excluding Dublin) show Waterford gets: . 5.1% of total visitors and 2.8% of total revenue . 8% of international visitors and 4% of domestic Visitors . 2.4% of international expenditure 3.6% of Domestic