There are plans to enhance the Cliffs of Moher experience with an overhaul of facilities
Revenues at the country’s most popular natural visitor attraction, the Cliffs of Moher, last year increased by 27pc, or €3m, to €13.8m.
New figures provided by Clare County Council show the €13.8m revenue generated at the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience compares with revenue of €10.8m in 2022.
A council tourism subsidiary firm operates the visitor attraction and a council spokesman confirmed visitor numbers last year represented 84pc of the 2019 visitor numbers of 1.6 million.
A council spokesman said visitor numbers for 2024 to the end of May were 440,000 and are in line with last year.
Confirmation of the 2023 revenue surge coincides with the council commencing public consultation on its draft Cliffs of Moher 2040 Strategy.
The visitor attraction generates the bulk of its income from entrance fees. “Price benchmarking with iconic sites indicates that the pricing at the Cliffs of Moher Experience is at the lower median of overall price ranges,” the spokesman said.
He said the “price ranges from €7 per adult online to €12 gate rate with kids going free up to 12 years old”.
During the peak season 170 people are employed at the Cliffs of Moher.
The draft strategy outlines the need for a complete overhaul of facilities at the visitor attraction.
“Over the past 10 years, visitor numbers have far exceeded those which the site was originally designed to cater for. This has significant negative impacts,” it states.
The draft strategy states that “the paths beyond the visitor experience are considered to be a major safety hazard due to their proximity to the unstable cliff-edge and unpredictable weather conditions”.
It adds that “visitors rarely heed the warnings in situ and try to get as close to the edge as possible for photograph opportunities”.
The council spokesman said the Cliffs of Moher Strategy 2040 is a long-term roadmap for the sustainable development of the site and is founded on four pillars: spreading the economic benefit to the wider local area and county; enhancing environmental protection; delivering integrated sustainable transport and optimising the visitor experience.
On the future economic benefits of the 2040 strategy, it states that “the Cliffs of Moher site is projected to generate an overall income of €36m from visitor spend”.
