Tour operators for Skellig Michael are hoping that hype generated by the release of Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi later this year will give their businesses a boost in the wake of declining visitor numbers this summer due to bad weather.
According to The Irish Independent, Fionán Murphy of Skellig Walker Tours. stated: "We've had a good run in the last couple of weeks, but [bad weather] can be distressing and disruptive for us and customers who want to make the trip. I had one group there who still couldn't make it out on their third attempt, so you can imagine they were disappointed."
Similarly, Paul Devane of Skellig Michael Cruises proclaimed that poor weather resulted in a drop in business compared to summer 2016 and that he's hoping for a resurgence in customer numbers in 2018 after The Last Jedi arrives in cinemas this December.
Tourism Ireland asserted that The Wild Atlantic Way achieved a "major coup" with a behind the scenes video that was released for the movie at Disney's D23 event earlier this month, which features plenty of footage filmed on Skellig Michael as well as at various other locations along the adjacent Irish coast.
