Impact on Tourism
Figures released in early 2010 by the Central Statistics Office show that tourist visitor numbers in 2009 were the lowest in Cork County since 2005, "recording a massive 11.6 per cent drop year on year" according to 'Cork tourism to overcome challenges', by Peter Tobin, Cork Independent News, 25 February 2010. This article goes on to further state that Ireland's biggest overseas market, the UK, showed an even worse decline in 2009 at 15 per cent.
This decline in tourism hits local businesses hard; it's not difficult to see. B&Bs have empty rooms and holiday homes are unlet. Pubs do not have many full nights, and restaurants in the area have been forced to close their doors. Our streets and our shops are emptier than they should be.
We expect over the long term for benefits to begin to be apparent to local businesses. Ongoing goodwill from area residents due to business involvement and sponsorship of the events should translate into customer loyalty to these businesses. Guest blogging and picture posting on-line gives the area a needed push from a personal side. Our own work on-line includes social network groups that talk about the area, articles that talk about the area, and listings on every tourism or West Cork web site we can find. With plans for continued annual events, future expansion of events, and close networking with the UK poetry circuits, we hope to give the communities involved and the West Cork region in general growing, dependable, high profile events to draw in both tourism from abroad and from the rest of Ireland, thus increasing local business income.
