A local councillor has called for a poll to be carried out to determine favoured destinations from Waterford Airport.
At the most recent meeting of Waterford City and County Council, Fianna Fáil Councillor Eamon Quinlan raised the need for the local authority to spend money in advance of the return of passenger aircraft to Waterford Airport to survey the public to establish what destinations are actually in demand.
He also advised the Council that assessments of other European cities should be carried out to find locations from which people are inclined to visit Waterford and use the airport.
Cllr Quinlan said: “I recently flew from Cork Airport to Edinburgh and I was surprised to see just how many destinations that people like to travel to which were not available on their list of destinations. This gives us an opportunity to spend a little money on a survey of the public to identify locations in demand that aren’t being serviced through Cork, that people in the South-East want to go to. We also need to identify which countries have populations which would be interested in visiting us. We do very well with markets in Germany, Norway, North America etc. While an airport with commercial passenger flights will be very welcome to local people who want to travel and make Waterford a much more desirable location for people to live in, it is important it isn’t just a means for capital to leave the region. New tourists regularly coming in are constantly visiting things like museums, restaurants, hotels etc. and this could really boost our local economy.”
In response to Cllr Quinlan, Director of Services for Economic Development and Enterprise, Mr Ned Brennan advised that the Council was prepared to spend money on such public surveys in a show of partnership with the airport.
Ultimate decisions will be made on a commercial basis by the airport’s operator, once installed, he said.
“I think this is a very positive move by the Council,” said Cllr Quinlan. “It shows those who are willing to invest in Waterford that we are prepared to assist in the overall success of such projects.”
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