THE JFK Trust is confident that visitor numbers to the Dunbrody emigrant ship and visitor centre will exceed 100,000.
The organisation’s CEO, Sean Reidy, highlighted that as being among the Trust’s principle plans when he recently spoke to The Echo.
He said the last 12 months proved very successful for the Dunbrody with foreign tourism being a major component of the centre’s overall business: “2012 was a very successful year for the Dunbrody with over 60,000 visitors and major inroads are being made in attracting foreign tourists to New Ross and Co. Wexford.”
Mr. Reidy said he himself was extremely proud of what has been achieved by the staff at the centre who all come from the New Ross area.
“They take great pride in putting the town on the world tourism map,” he said.
Mr. Reidy was then asked where he would rank the ship among the other tourist attractions in Co. Wexford – to which he replied it is now the strongest brand in the county.
“I think there is evidence to support that when it comes to foreign tourism,” he said.
He gave a breakdown of visitor numbers in terms of countries: USA (20 per cent), Germany (50 per cent), UK (15 per cent), Canada 7.5 per cent), France (7.5 per cent) and ‘Rest of the World’ (5 per cent).
Mr. Reidy also revealed that 70 per cent of visitors to the Dunbrody come from abroad and said: “No other tourist attraction in Wexford attracts that level of foreign tourism.”
Having reflected on the year gone Mr. Reidy was asked what his, and the Trust’s, plans are for the coming year.
“The objective of the JFK Trust now is to grow visitor numbers to Dunbrody over 100,000 [and] this is achievable,” he said.
“Looking forward to 2013 the thing that excites me most is the coming to fruition of three major capital investment projects [and] all in time for the ‘the Gathering’ and JFK50.”
Mr. Reidy also expressed delight at playing a part in bringing the capital projects to reality along with his fellow Trust board members.
He was referring to the recently completed Dunbrody Famine Shop Experience (including the Irish America Hall of Fame), the new Kennedy Homestead Visitor Centre (which is currently being developed) and the New Ross quayside development incorporating the Eternal Flame, boardwalk and sculpted podium which will mark the spot where President John F. Kennedy addressed the crowd in New Ross during his visit in 1963.
