Anna connor mayo county council

Development of Recreational Trails in County Mayo

“An Integrated Approach”

Anna ConnorMayo County Council

1. Adventure Tourism – Cycling & Walking

2. Trail Development in Mayo

3. Great Western Greenway

4. Next Steps




4. Next Steps

Co Mayo

Overseas Activity Tourism in Ireland

Worth

€1.2bn in 2011

90% of Adventure Travel is ‘soft’ adventure…

Rock climbing

The ‘Hard Stuff’:

Caving

Archaeology

Walking

Fishing Bird watching

Cycling

Some ‘soft’ adventure elements:

Meeting thelocals

Economic Contribution of Activity Tourism

High yield segmentSpend 45% higher than the

average overseas visitor

Overseas Visitors Engaging in Active Pursuits (000s) 2011

776

181113

17866 72

Hiking/Cross-country

walking

Golf Angling Cycling Water-based Equestrian

Trails Development in Mayo

Mayo – WALKING Capital of Ireland

Mayo County Walking & Cycling Strategy 2007

Integrated Tourism Planning – Access, facilities, networks

Trails Development Officer

Mayo County Walking Partnership Group

Sub Committee of Mayo County Development Board Consists of representatives from the following :• HSE West• Mayo County Council• Údaras na Gaeltachta• Mayo Sports Partnership• Fáilte Ireland• Local Leader Companies• Erris Beo• Coillte• Community Forum• Chamber of Commerce

Role of Trails Development Officer

• Coordinate the actions of the Mayo County Walking Strategy• Work in collaboration with Local Community Groups & local agencies• Liaise with local landowners regarding access• Identify funding streams / opportunities• Bundle and submit funding applications• Oversee projects from initiation to completion• Work with Tourism Organisations to promote all Mayo Trails• Publish information material – Brochures, Maps etc• Manage website and social media streams.• Attend Trade Shows

Trail Development in MayoCurrent Status - 130 Approved TrailsIncluding Linear and National Loop Walks

Trail Categories:Woodland, Island, Greenway, Mountain, Coastal & Nature

50% of Trails are Multipurpose

Types of Walking Trails in Mayo

•National Loop Walks - 30•Long Distance National Waymarked Ways - 05•Greenways - 05•Slí na Slainte - 05•Coillte Trails - 08•Community Trails – 60•High Level Walks

Key to success of trail development in Co Mayo

1. Permissive Access Agreement

2. Insurance

3. Partnerships

Maintenance of Trails

Current Situation:- Local RSS / TUS & FAS- Local Landowners who are in receipt of

payments in respect of the walks scheme- Local Community & volunteers- Local Authority Staff

The Burrishoole Loop Walks some remarkable sites and scenery and special interest sites including Burrishoole Friary, Rockfleet Castle and the Salmon Lake, Lough Fiach

Landscape Photography by Images of Mayo (Eamonn McCarthy)

Burrishoole Abbey

Lough FiachRockfleet Castle

“One of the most beautiful short walks on this Island”.... The IndependentMulranny Loop Walk

Bellacragher Bay from Crúcarragh, Cortún in the distance – Mulranny Loop Walk

Old Irish Goats Trawoughter Bay

Achill Island

Inishturk Island

Tourmakeady Loop walk

Clare lakeClaremorris

Ceathru Thaidgh

Bonniconlon Trails

Great Western Greenway

Lough Lannagh, Castlebar

Old Irish Goat

Castlebar 4 Day walks

Mulranny Walking Weekend Nov 2010

Burrishoole Walking Festival

Walking – Offers huge tourism opportunities

Walking Festivals & Events

• Castlebar International 4 Day Walks – 4000• Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail Walking Festival – 600• Achill Walking Festival - 1500• Mulranny Walking Weekends -1000• Westport Walking Festival – 700• Burrishoole Walking Festival – 700• Foxford Walking Festival - 500• Claremorris Walking Weekend – 200• Mayo in Motion Promotion - 1700

Annual Walking Festivals & Events currently attracts up to 11,000 participants annually.

Adventure Activity Events• West of Ireland Womens Mini Marathon - 4000• Gaelforce West – 3000• Sea to Submit – 1500• Ballina Salmon Run Triathlon – 700• Race to Glory - 700• Blacksod / Kilmore Triathlon - 600• Harlequinn Duathlon - 700• The Moy Half Marathon – 500• Mayo Pink Ribbon – 500• Humbert Challenge – 300• Great Western Greenway 10k - 600• Achill Half Maraton -600• Clew Bay Half Marathon - 600• Land of the Giants Duathlon – 400• Ballinrobe Duathlon - 400• Louisburgh Half Marathon – 600

Adventure Activity Events currently attracts up to 16,000 participants annually

National Policy Framework - Cycling

• A Strategy for the Development of Irish Cycle Tourism - Sustrans(Failté Ireland, 2006)

• Smarter Travel – A Sustainable Transport Future 2009

• National Cycle Policy Framework 2009

• National Cycle Network Scoping Study 2010

• Mayo County Development Plan 2008-2014

European Cycling Tourism

Value of European Cycling tourism:

Cycling tourism is particularly popular in Mainland Europe – a key market for growth.

Key Markets – UK, Germany, France, Holland

Lucrative - Average spend per cycle tourist: €353 per trip

EuroVelo – Challenges and opportunities for sustainable tourism. European Parliament

€54bn

Proposed Euro Velo Routes - 12 Premier Cycle Routes for Europe

Cycle Tourism

• A Strategy for the Development of Irish Cycle Tourism - Sustrans(Failté Ireland, 2006)

NATIONAL CYCLE NETWORK

CYCLE HUB TOWNS

OFF ROAD FACILITIES

Sustrans Report

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WEST

• CYCLE HUBS:

Westport, Achill, Clifden

• LINEAR CYCLE ROUTES:

Galway – Sligo

• GREENWAY DEVELOPMENT:

Westport Town / Quay Westport / Achill

Achill Cycle Hub

- -EDEN& - -The-Great-Western-Greenway-

Westport Cycle Hub


Belmullet Cycle Hub

Achill Cycle Hub

Westport Cycle Hub

Killary / Westport Route

MAYO NATIONAL PARK

Ceide Fields

Clifden

NATIONAL MUSEUM

Ballina

Dephi

Mayo Case Study

Great Western Greenway

Westport

Achill

Mulranny

Newport

The Great Western Greenway

County Mayo


Greenway InnovationKey Features• Unique Class Walking & Cycling Facility

• World Class Holiday Attraction

• Smarter Travel Eco corridor

• Unique PARTNERSHIP with local landowners & Business

• Enabling platform for innovation, regeneration and enterprise

• National Success Story – first Greenway in Ireland

• Tremendously popular – 145,000 users in 2011


Funding PartnersInvestment €5.7million

Funded by:

• Dept of Transport, Tourism & Sport• Failté Ireland• Dept of Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs


The Midland Great Western Railway

• New railway would assist Fishing and tourismindustries, combat unemployment and poverty whichwas rife in the West of Ireland.

• Built under the Light Railways (Ireland) Act by ArthurBalfour, Chief Secretary for Ireland

Arthur BalfourNewport Tunnel Railway Workers

Newport Viaduct • At construction peak in 1891 there were 1,313employed who laid 7,000 tons of rail


• The railway facilitated the decline of the areaspopulation and closed in 1937. Newport Viaduct

• The line has impressive engineering (tunnelsand viaducts) and passes by some of the mostidyllic scenery in Ireland

Westport Viaduct

The Washing

Pool Bridge Bunahowna

• The railway was built by Robert Worthingtonfor £110, 000 and opened in 1894

Newport Tunnel


DERELICT RAILWAY 2009


The Great Western Greenway commenced in April 2009 with permissive access from 161 landowners 2009


Pavement Construction

Major Bridge Links

Signs

NRA KILBRIDE

Great Western Greenway is a major success


Ministerial Visits

Official Openings 2010 and 2011Phases 1 and 2

Users on Great Western Greenway

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

2010 2011 2012

PEDESTRIANSCYCLISTS

User Profile (based on survey of 700 users)

• All Age categories (38% in 31-49 age bracket)

• Predominantly Cyclists (78%)

• Origin: (Ireland 84%, Overseas 16% (UK 9%)

Ireland - Mayo (30%), Dublin (25%)

• Very popular with families (60%)

• 54% hired bike

• Average daily spend €62/person/day

Amenities Requested• Toilets

• Water Stops

• Rain Shelters

• Seats and Tables

• Signs (Distance & Interpretative)

New Packages –Gourmet Greenway

Sean Kelly & his gold medal winning Black Pudding


Activities along Greenway


The Greenway brings these activities together, thereby creating a better package

Electric Escapes provides packaged guided tours around Clew Bay combining culture, food and activity experiences


Investment: €5.7m

User Numbers: 175,000 users in 2012

Employment: 38 New Jobs & supporting

56 existing jobs.

Economic Benefit: €7.2 million to local

economy (€2.8m - overseas visitors

New Businesses & Creative Services

New Business & Creative IndustriesThe Blue Bicycle Tea Room, Newport town

The Greenway Café, Mulranny

New Business & Creative Industries

Yvonne’s Cottage,Rosturk, Mulranny


Greenway Gifts


”The Greenway has become such a part of Kelly's Butchers that we've created a new pudding just for it… Kelly's Greenway Pudding“

Seán Kelly, Kelly’s of Newport

New Branded Products

Cross Selling Activity Packages

Great Western GreenwayNational & European Awards• EDEN - 2011 recipient of the International European

Destination of Excellence award. • LAMA – 2012 winner for best Recreational Facility • LAMA – 2012 winner for best Tourist Attraction • LAMA – nominated for Council of the Year • Meitheal Award Winner 2012 – Great Western Greenway

Landowners• The Irish Times InterTradeIreland Innovation Category

Award Winner 2012.• CIWEM – 2012 Irish Environmental Award (Chartered

institution of Water and Environmental Management• Exemplary Initiative Award by the European Greenways

Association

LAMA AWARDS - 2012

Irish Times Innovation Award -2012

Irish Times Innovation Award -2012

Clew Bay Oysters and Black Pudding

Greenway Destination - Strategic Marketing Plan


Mulranny Futures / Tourism / Environmental Groups Market

Num

ber

Great Western Greenway Marketing Plan

2011 - 2013

Irelan

d

NI

/ UK

Ger

man

y

Fran

ce

2010

2011

2012

2013 Comments

MKTG 0 Marketing; ● ● ●

MKTG 1 Develop Walking Brochure ● ● ● Developed as a marketing tool to promote walking in area.MKTG 2 Great Western Greenway Opened & Launched Off road cycling trail.Presently from Mulranny to NewportMKTG 3 Develop Walking weekends off-season Increase tourism to the area during off seasonMKTG 4 Links Between Local Businesses ● ● Essential to enhance tourist stay in the area. OngoingMKTG 5 Christopher Somerville Walking Guidebooks ● ● Feature in this guidebook as an attractive walking destinationMKTG 6 Irish Times Go Magazine Greenway and goats are good story for this magazineMKTG 7 Outsider Magazine Aug/Sept Issue (walking based) 1/4 page advertMKTG 8 Outsider Website 1 Months (aug) advertising on outsider.ie & spoke.ieMKTG 9 Email Walking Groups Email Walking groups Mulranny Walking brochureMKTG 10 Place Walking Brochures in Tourist Offices Distribute current walking brochureMKTG 11 Link with Co Council walking officer ● ● Link with Anna Connor so to develope and advertise as walking MKTG 12 Link with Failte Ireland & Tourism Ireland ● ● To benefit from the previously mention strategies develpoed by MKTG 13 Promote Walkers welcome with Failte Ireland & Tourism Ireland Is a walkers welcome destination so promote this on both MKTG 14 Develope a charity event in the domestic Market ● ● Develope a charty walk in aid of Croi in 2011MKTG 15 Deveope a charity event for the foreign market ● ● Develope a charity walk in aid of uk and european charityMKTG 16 Launch a new Mulranny website ● Advertise on and create vital links within community & tourism MKTG 17 Lonely Planet Website & Guidebooks ● Advert in both as this will benefit the international marketMKTG 18 Develope links and advertise within routes from Galway & Knock Airports Broaden knowledge of area to potential visitors

Proj

ect

Typ

e

Marketing Innovations

www.Greenway.ie1 April – 31 August 2013 – 104,955

viewers

http://www.greenway.ie/

RTÉ ‘Tracks & Trails’ programme

April 2010 – 300,000 viewers

December 2011 – 340,000 viewers

December 2012 – 400,000 viewers

Domestic Television Coverage

Winning Streak – National Lottery Programme

PRINT MEDIA

Mayo in Motion Promotion• Walking Leader Training• Walking & Clycling Leadership Training• Engage with local groups in terms of organising

both walking & cycling events.• Nordic Walking Demonstrations• Fit walking Clinics• Walking Seminar• Feature some of the local trails now available• Promote www.mayotrails.ie

http://www.mayotrails.ie/

The Adventure Weekend at the RDS

Websites




4. Next Steps

GREEN PATROLACTIVITY SERVICES CENTRE - MULRANNY

Toilets and Shower Facilities, Customer Services, interpretation, Green Patrol

Wild Atlantic Trail – Westport/Delphi/Leenaun

Belmullet Cycle Hub

Achill Cycle Hub

Westport Cycle Hub

Killary / Westport Route

MAYO NATIONAL PARK

Ceide Fields

Suspended Rope Bridges

Kapalua Suspension Bridge

Mayo Adventure Bridge

Blueway – Pilot Project

StillsThe Blue Way

A trail along the coastline that links water recreational activities.

These include; kayaking, snorkeling, surfing, stand up paddle boarding, sailing, fishing

A Brand and product to marketing Ireland as a world class destination to experience water trail

Variety of marine life and experiences

Variety of historic and culture experiences

Wild Atlantic Way

Malin Head – Kinsale2,00km

Thank You

Contact Details:

Anna ConnorWalking & Cycling Development OfficerMayo County CouncilCedar BuildingMoneen CastlebarCo MayoTel: 094 9047545Email: [email protected]: www.mayotrails.ie

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.mayotrails.ie/

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