A greater volume of facilities is needed in Tramore to keep day visitors in Tramore for longer, says Michael Garland, manager of Tramore Amusement and Leisure Park.

This weekend the park prepares to host its annual Monster Fireworks Show on Saturday, August 22 at approximately 9:45pm.

This annual event has become a notable date in the tourism calendar for Tramore, with all costs being covered the Tramore Amusement and Leisure, amounting to approximately €25,000.

Michael Garland was a guest on The Big Breakfast Blaa with Ollie and Dymphna on Tuesday, August 18th.

Footfall Not Being Retained in Tramore

Looking at the footfall this summer in Tramore, encouraged by the beautiful sunny weather, Michael said the numbers are not transferring to money spent in the region.

‘They’re not staying around,’ he said, ‘they’re not lingering. I think it’s an accommodation thing, we hear families leaving and saying they will go for something to eat on the way home.They’ve made an effort to travel down, we need to keep them here for longer.’

The dwell time of each visitor needs to be actively targeted, he feels, to maximise the experience for each visitor and the profile of Tramore.

However, much needs to be done, he feels, before that can happen.

Toilet Facilities and Accommodation in Tramore

‘Even at a basic level, you drive to Tramore, you could be coming two or three hours and they need basic toilet facilities. If we are going to make Tramore and Waterford that tourism destination, we have to provide the facilities.’

In Michael’s own words, he said the park staff are ‘doing their bit’ by bringing tourists to the region and paying for a large fireworks display, and now it’s time for other facilities to be offered to complement the wider offering in the seaside resort.