Essay Sample on Tourism in Ireland

The United Nations World Tourism Organization loosely defines the term tourism as the movement of individuals to places or countries outside of their typical environment for two primary purposes, personal or business reasons. The people moving, the UNWTO further explains, are known as tourists. A tourist may be classified as a same-day visitor if their visit does not include a stay overnight. There are three classes of tourism, outbound, inbound and domestic. Ireland is one of favorite tourist destination in the United Kingdom. The tourism industry in the country is primarily controlled by the private sector constituted of thousands of large and small businesses, airlines and international hotels. Tourism industry shots during Summer and Easter holidays with both domestic and foreign visitors going to some major attractions in the nation. Both local and foreign tourism form the core of business in this critical sector of national economy. The government of Ireland acknowledges that dealing with the international visitor's calls for understanding of cultural diversity and that is why it invests a lot in promoting inbound tourism. Ireland has many tourist attraction centres spread across the country with hundreds of thousands of visitors, both local and international, visiting these sites yearly.

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For tourists, the mode of transportation around Ireland depends on the destination. For instance, the best way to discover the rural parts of the country is through hiring or renting a car. This mode is a bit expensive, but it is worth a try given that the roads in the rural areas are excellent. Accessing a car for rent is more comfortable given that all the known major global brands are easily accessible at the national airport and other large urban areas across the nation. Aside from the international companies, there are several credible local firms hiring out cars at a lower price such as Irish Car Rental and Dan Dooley among others. The main roads connecting cities are in right conditions; those in bad states are being replaced by motor ways. For visitors willing to move between towns and cities, the movement is more effortless since these roads are not busy. Aside from the private means, it is also possible to use public transport, i.e. trains, ferries and buses. The provider of the nation's train services is Irish Rail. Unlike in most countries, the rail network is not extensive because of the population density (Devine, Baum, Hearns & Devine, 2007). This claim, therefore, does not easily allow movement of tourists, particularly those in a rush. On the other hand, visitors who would like to enjoy the beautiful landscape of the nation should try travelling by train to witness the beautiful nature of the country. Tourists visiting the state can take advantage of lower prices when they book in advance and witness the magic landscapes in both rural and urban setups. A more extensive means of moving around the country is bus travel. Buses are cheaper compared to trains. Several airports in the country are connected with the bus services which makes it easier to move from the airports to the destination for international visitors. To cut down on travel time, it is advisable to take advantage of the ferry services such as Shannon Estuary, Strangford Lough and Lough Foyle among many others. These ferries make it possible to move to the several offshore islands where visitors get to see so many beautiful animals and landscape.

Accommodation and lodging in the country depend on the location visited by a tourist. The famous lodges among tourists visiting Ireland are castles. One of the nest things about touring Ireland is the presences of castles, some as old as 300 years. Some of these big castles have been turned into beautiful hotels where visitors can spend a night or two, but it comes at a cost. An excellent example of a famous fort is the Ballynahinch Castle with a history that dates back to 18th Century ((Hanrahan & Mcloughlin, 2015). The Castle was voted as one of the best hotels in the country. Other famous castles where visitors get to spend a night include Clontarf Hotel located in Dublin, Cavan's Cabra Castile Hotel and the famous Lough Eske Castle Hotel among many others. Eco friendly accommodation is an emerging trend in the country. The system is shared among locals and international tourists with local connection. An example includes the eco-sleep in Hemp Cottage which is the nation's leading eco-friendly lodge. The design of the building comprises locally sourced timber with a hemp and lime wall and natural insulation. Several eco-friendly lodges are spread across different counties and accessible to any visitor. In addition to the two, there is also self-catering accommodation available for families who would like to explore hidden heartland, Wild Atlantic and the nation's Ancient East. A visitor can also enjoy traditional cuisine typical among the locals. Some of the foods include soda bread which is unique depending on the family. Shellfish and Irish stew is also common among tourists. A visitor gets a chance to learn how to prepare the dish if they wish to do so.

As a major tourist destination, Ireland has several sites that offer entertainment for both the local and foreign visitors. The Cliffs of Moher is an excellent example of a breathtaking landscape where most visitors go to. These cliffs stretch for more than eight kilometres with an elevation of over 213 meters along Atlantic. Millions of people, the government records show, visit this place alone in a single year. Grafton Street in Dublin is another famous entertainment spot most tourists frequent when in Ireland. Grafton is more than just a shopping boulevard as it comes to life with flower sellers, live bands and performance artists. Killarney National Park is another entertainment park, specifically for tourists near Muckross Lake. The national park has breathtaking sceneries, an example, as stated by most tourists is the Gap of Dunloe which stretches for over 11 kilometres. The gap of Dunloe is a rocky and narrow mountain pass formed from glaciers as old as during Ice Age. Finally, for those obsessed with the history of Vikings, the best place to visit in the country is The Waterford Viking Triangle located in Waterford. This is an award-winning cultural and heritage center hosting Ireland's oldest urban building known as Reginald Tower. One can also visit an old fishing town in Dunmore East. These areas were founded during Vikings age.

For the millions of tourists visit the country annually, close to zero cases have been reported regarding crime. Even though not a single country is crime-free, Ireland does not have a worrying level of insecurity Conaghan, Hanrahan and McLoughlin, E. (2015). Like many major cities, most of the capital centres like Dublin and Belfast may register some incidences of crime, but it is not at a worrying level. In these metropolitan areas, tourists may, not likely, encounter pickpockets and bag snatchers. In the end, an individual may face robbery and assaults, but such cases have both been reported over the past five years. Tourists are advised to contact local authority through official landline number in case of any incident of crime. The weather in the country is not predictable, but in general it has a conducive climate. The climate in Ireland is moist and mild and continuously changes to abundant rainfall. The warm experience of the gulf stream makes the climate in the country conducive for any visitor since it is much warmer than most countries that share the same altitude with it. Ireland rarely witnesses extreme winters; the average temperature during the period is 40F/5C and 46F/8C (Hanrahan & Mcloughlin, 2015).

In conclusion, Ireland is one of the largest tourist destinations in Europe due to its rich tradition and breathtaking landscapes. Aside from these traditions and rich history, there are numerous reasons why tourists frequent the country annually. The infrastructure and weather are good examples that make the nation conducive for both local and international tourists. Most in the country cite the rich culture, specifically Vikings traditions and the magnificent castles as the reasons for visit. The weather also makes it possible to visit Ireland at any time of the year. There are no incidences of extreme weather conditions. The government has also enhanced means of transportation making it possible to visit the remote parts of Ireland. As evident in the discussion, touring Ireland is an excellent experience for visitors, both local and international.

References

Conaghan, A., Hanrahan, J., & McLoughlin, E. (2015). The attitudes of the key stakeholders on sustainable tourism in Ireland: The holidaymaker and tourism enterprise perspective. Tourism (13327461), 63(3), 275-293. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=hjh&AN=110128427&site=ehost-live

Devine, F., Baum, T., Hearns, N., & Devine, A. (2007). Cultural diversity in hospitality work: the Northern Ireland experience. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 18(2), 333-349. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585190601102596

Hanrahan, J., & Mcloughlin, E. (2015). Planning for the Economic Impacts of Tourism in Ireland: A Local Authority Perspective. Tourism Analysis, 20(6), 665-676. https://doi.org/10.3727/108354215X14464845878075