One of the country's leading hoteliers has hailed the "phenomenal" impact of the Wild Atlantic Way on the tourist trade in Ireland, reports the Irish Examiner.
John Brennan, who runs the Park Hotel in Kenmare with his brother Francis (which won the Best Hotel Restaurant at the National Hospitality Awards 2014) believes that the idea to set up the Wild Atlantic Way route down the west coast of the country was a stroke of "genius".
The report reveals that the comments were made yesterday when Brennan confirmed that trade at his five-star hotel was up six per cent last year on 2013.
"We’re in good shape. We are very happy where we are are. Revenues have returned to where they were outside the boom years," Brennan told The Examiner, adding that the impact on tourism from the Wild Atlantic Way "has been phenomenal", that it had increased business at the Park Hotel, but also that "it is hard to quantify".
Brennan said that Christmas business was up by 17 per cent, boosted mainly by self-employed Irish people staying at the hotel.
