Lighthouse tourism experts meet on Valentia Island, Co.Kerry, this week to plan on turning Ireland into a world-class maritime tourism destination.

At the Great Lighthouses of Ireland (GLI) annual gathering, which opens on the island today will unveil a new 5-year strategy to reach this goal.

It’s an ambitious aim but we are in a unique position here in Ireland to achieve it, says GLI chairperson, Bobby Kerr. “GLI has an all-island partnership model for lighthouse tourism, and we have doubled in size over the last nine years. We want to harness the universal appeal of lighthouses to grow maritime tourism sustainably and boost regional development for coastal communities.”

Over 60 lighthouse, marine and tourism leaders and providers are expected to attend the 3-day gathering, which starts today.

Participants will see Tourism Ireland’s new suite of lighthouse videos developed in partnership with GLI, themed around ‘7 Wonders’ of lighthouse experiences. These will be shared by Tourism Ireland with its 6+ million followers on social media and will also be used in Tourism Ireland’s international PR and publicity activity. Bobby Kerr says the gathering will also hear of GLI plans to host an international lighthouse tourism conference in 2025.

Irish Lights chief executive, Yvonne Shields O’Connor, says the focus will be on looking forward in partnership with communities on the ground and State agencies. “Together we will re-imagine and create new visitor experiences linked to our working lighthouses around the coast. Together, we will expand the blue economy and protect our heritage for future generations.”

Ms Shields O’Connor says GLI wants to support the development of programmes and activities that inspire and attract those who are drawn to Ireland’s lighthouses and coastal regions. She points to the example of Fanad Lighthouse in Donegal, which offers accommodation, a Visitor Centre, and nearby Hot Barrel Sauna plus Eco Atlantic Adventures activities, such as kayaking.”

Another example she quotes is Valentia Island, where visitors can tour the lighthouse, and take a boat tour around Valentia and Skellig Michael lighthouses. “Kerry Aqua Terra boat tours made a combined investment of around €200,000 this year for their water lighthouse tours. This involved new boats, and created two additional jobs and a 50% increase in the number of trips they can run. These kinds of development are a real boast to coastal communities.”

In 2023, our lighthouses welcomed over 384,000 visitors. Footfall at three of the largest sites, Fanad, Loop Head and Hook Lighthouses, was estimated to be just under 218,000 based on retail sales and site counters. Plans for a new €5m state of the art visitor centre, cafe, retail and community centre at Fanad and for a planned €1.6m investment in Loop Head are set to benefit the local economy.

On a practical level, Shields O’Connor says this will involve drawing on a range of supports and investments to maintain and develop existing sites and to develop new ones.

Fáilte Ireland recently signed a new Memorandum of Understanding with GLI. Director of Product Development at Fáilte Ireland, Orla Carroll said Fáilte Ireland was “committed to the sustainable development of tourism across the country which includes building on our unique lighthouse tourism offering. We look forward to continuing our great work with the Commissioners of Irish Lights (Irish Lights) and its Great Lighthouses of Ireland initiative (GLI), which is outlined in the new Memorandum of Understanding.”

“This collaboration also enables us to identify opportunities that align with the shared objectives of the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s Ancient East and Dublin Regional Tourism Development Strategies. Our collective goal is to enhance the unique lighthouse tourism experience by creating a world-class visitor experience that will attract more domestic and international tourists to choose these destinations and foster greater visitor engagement.”

The gathering will also hear details of an agreement between GLI and Údarás na Gaeltachta. "Our collaboration with Great Lighthouses of Ireland opens up exciting possibilities for sustainable tourism in Gaeltacht coastal communities,” says Tomás Ó Síocháin,

Príomhfheidhmeannach Údarás na Gaeltachta. “By leveraging our rich maritime heritage and the universal appeal of lighthouses, we're not just introducing visitors to the Irish language in a different context. We are also creating new economic opportunities that will help our unique regions thrive in the future."

Multi-million euro funding has already been announced for Blacksod Lighthouse in the Mayo Gaeltacht, but other Gaeltacht areas are benefiting from lighthouse tourism too, says Ó Síochán. Cape Clear’s Fastnet Rock Boat Tours made a major investment in a 200-passenger ferry, leading to consistent double-digit growth in passenger numbers since 2014. Local businesses have reported turnover increases of 56% to 170% on days when the Fastnet tour operates, boosting both seasonal and permanent employment. GLI and Údarás want to collaborate further to support these kinds of successes.

Caroline Bocquel, CEO of Ireland’s seafood development agency, Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), will address the GLI gathering. She will highlight the integral role the seafood industry plays in Ireland’s coastal communities and talk about the growing demand for provenance and local homegrown ingredients. BIM is hosting a ‘Taste the Atlantic Showcase’ at the gathering, to demonstrate the potential for creating events that strengthen people’s connection to a sense of a place through local food, coastal culture and storytelling.

In the longer term, Yvonne Shields O’Connor says Irish Lights is collaborating with key maritime and tourism stakeholders to create a unique visitor experience centred around Dublin Bay’s lighthouses, heritage, and maritime culture.

“This includes partnerships with port and harbour organisations, local authorities, and NGOs with land and water assets. Our goal is to transform these assets into a world-class, environmentally sustainable tourism offering, expanding the Great Lighthouses of Ireland experience to Dublin.”

Ms Shields O’Connor says the project will harness not just lighthouse history but also Dublin Port’s 300-year heritage. The port’s archive includes thousands of photographs, engineering drawings, 600 historical registers and yearbooks dating back as far as 1926.
She paid tribute to the gathering’s hosts, Kerry County Council, who are active partners in the GLI.

The Great Lighthouses of Ireland gathering runs from 21st to 23rd October and will be officially opened by chairperson, Bobby Kerr. Key speakers will include Irish Lights CEO, Yvonne Shields, Tourism Ireland Content & Brand Manager, Jenny Jensma and Dublin Port Heritage Director, Lar Joye.

Bobby Kerr says they wish to thank the following GLI funders and partners who made the gathering possible: Fáilte Ireland, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Tourism Ireland, Tourism NI, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, Kerry County Council and Valentia Island Development Company.