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Cruise ships visit 'Foyle Riviera'
09.06.09
But Inishowen traders
see no return
GREENCASTLE resembled the French Riviera last week
as the cruise ship season got underway with the
arrival of 'Silver Cloud' into Lough Foyle.
The stunning white ship, with 300 passengers on
board, became one of the top attractions in the
locality on its arrival into the bay last Thursday.
Scores of passengers disembarked the cruise liner -
some mesmerising the locals with a display of Tai
Chi on Greencastle Green.
However, as is the case every year, the arrival of
the holiday ship prompted complaints that Inishowen
is not benefiting enough from the annual cruise
tourism industry. One shopkeeper told a local
politician that just two 'Silver Cloud' passengers
visited his shop during the day. A look at the
ship's brochure for the day shows that Inishowen
featured in just one of the five tours offered to
passengers that day. |
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The trip included a
guided tour of Greencastle's 13th century castle and
19th century fort onwards to Kinnego Bay, "final
resting place" of the wreckage of the Spanish Armada
ship La Trinidad Valencera and finally a visit to a
"local hostelry to enjoy the delightful taste of a
warm and velvety Irish coffee or indeed a pint of
the famous 'Black Stuff' ". Moville-based Senator
Cecilia Keaveney said one local shopkeeper told her
only two of the passengers visited his shop during
the day-long stopover. |
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"This ship was a
beautiful sight for all of us who saw its
magnificent whiteness and the many red and white
tenders that went to and fro to load and unload the
passengers in the blissful scene of the blue sea and
sky that was the Foyle all week," said Senator
Keaveney.
“However, there does need to be more work on
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to
maximise these visits to the local economy. There
must be a concerted effort made by local business
people to identify in what ways they can enhance the
opportunities to not only sell our scenery but also
reap more immediate and tangible results." She said
it was "easier to complain" than to be proactive.
"It is much easier to complain about what is not
happening than to make something actually happen. I
firmly believe that Donegal has huge,
under-exploited tourism potential," added the local
senator and former chairperson of the Dáil joint
tourism committee. "It will take those in the very
many industries that make up the services to
tourism, to make such a concerted and forward
looking attitude to drive what would be a hugely
positive project.
"To do this will involve, in my opinion, the
development of a chamber of commerce or similar
structure on bigger scales than individual towns,
big or small. I would encourage like minds to strive
to positive action rather than happily concentrating
on negative paralysis," added Senator Keaveney. |
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