Ferries Regain Popularity
Over the last decade or so, the growth in low-cost airlines and the opening of the Channel Tunnel put enormous competitive pressure on the Ferry operators, particularly those operating on the Ireland/Great Britain routes.
But substantial investment in fleets, including high-speed ferries, kept the Ferry operators very much in the all important access mix for Irish tourism. Clever marketing exploited the calm advantages of taking the ferry while avoiding the chaos of over crowded airports.
After an initial and perhaps an inevitable loss of market share to the airlines, the ferry business started to claw back some share in 2008 and 2009. Then came the Ash-clouds in 2010, and more people began to appreciate again the safe, secure and high-quality service offered by Ferry travel. Are we witnessing a renaissance of travel by sea once more, particularly from our biggest source market, Britain?
ITIC spoke with Tony Kelly, Marketing Director of Irish Ferries, the largest Ferry operator between Ireland and Britain, and Ireland and Continental Europe.
Click on the image below to hear what he had to say.
If you would like to comment on anything you’ve heard here, leave a comment below!
May 12th 2010
May 13th, 2010 at 12:11 am
It is so refreshing to read and listen to your upbeat news story and Tony’s positive and realistic comments. As a frequent user of all the ferry services on the Irish Sea I can endorse his comments regarding the ferry facilities and lack of travel hassle. Added to the excellent services of Irish Ferries and the others is the new Swansea Cork ferry. The GB market is incredible difficult right now but more imaginative and continued promotional fares from Tony and his colleagues would help, as well as suport for Tourism Ireland’s expanded campaigns.
May 13th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Nice looking ferries alright… If Iceland keeps erupting in the medium / long-term (and let’s hope it doesn’t), then ’sail-drive’ holidays will thrive.
Agree about being more imaginative in selling Ireland too.
Good value for money as opposed to focusing solely on low prices will always succeed too. A major part of Ireland’s problem is although visitors are now getting value for money for access and accommodation etc., once here doing everyday things like food and drink they’re paying extortionate prices, both within hotels and out in the wider economy. It’s these things that need tackling and which have needed tackling for years. There’s no point in enticing visitors with excellent fares and accommodation rates only to hammer them in bars and restaurants once they’re here. Because it’s those things people remember.
In addition things like the departure tax as well as the ludicrous laws that keep children out of licensed premises after 9/10 that need to be addressed and hopefully abolished urgently.