This article is from page 4 of the 2006-09-19 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
VISITORS to the Cliffs of Moher when the new €31.5 million visitor centre becomes operational will pay on average around €7 to access all facilities at the site.
Defending the pricing structure in the first Cliffs of Moher newsletter, the council cite charges for other natural beauty spots, including the Grand Canyon, the Giant’s Causeway and the Great Barrier Reef.
The council is splitting charges to the Cliffs site into two areas: a “facilities” charge levied through parking charges and a separate charge for those who choose to access the interpretative centre.
Already plans by the council to charge coach operators €60 have come under fire. The council is currently in dialogue with the Irish Tour Operators Association (ITOA). Motorists are to be charged €8 to park their cars in the Cliffs’ car-park
Visitors will also be charged an additional €4 to access the visitor centre. Families of six will be charged €11.95 with lower charges than €4 applying for students, children and OAPs.
The council states: “The average cost of the facilities charge will amount to less than €3 per visitor. Some visitors will pay more and some less according to how they choose to travel. . .
“However, when a site attracts close to a million annual visitors, most of whom travel by car or coach, a range of facilities and services need to be provided.
“It is our intention to ensure that people living near the Cliffs of Moher can benefit from the new facilities. We are currently exploring ways to provide special arrangements for locals who use the Cliffs of Moher as an amenity for walking and family outings.
“It is reasonable and fair that the people who avail of these facilities are the ones who contribute towards their cost. . .
“This will serve to provide visitors with what they need to enjoy the site and to ensure that the site itself is protected from the negative effects of mass tourism. . .
“The Cliffs of Moher New Visitor Experience is a €31.5m not-for-profit investment by Clare County council to positively promote the tourism development of County Clare and to generate a wider benefit for the entire community. It will also help preserve our priceless natural heritage and provide those visitors that choose to visit the Cliffs of Moher with facilities that live up to Nature’s demands.