Record numbers visit Cliffs of Moher in 2016
1,427,166 people visited the Cliffs of Moher in Co Clare during 2016.
Visitor numbers were up an impressive 14% on 2015 with a huge increase in people visiting during the low season such as December.
There was a 52% increase in visits to the magestic cliffs during December 2016 compared to 2015.
The Director of the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience Katherine Webster said the figures reflect the “huge popularity” of the Cliffs of Moher and how the attraction is now a primary reason for many people choosing to visit Ireland.
However Mrs Webster also said that the popularity of the cliffs led to challenges for the management of the tourist centre.
“Dealing with this number of visitors is not without its challenges and the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience faced capacity issues during peak times throughout the season,” explained Ms. Webster.
She continued, “The majority of people look to visit between 11.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. and consequently, our facilities have at times struggled to cope with the numbers during the peak season.
"We introduced off-peak pricing for pre-booked groups who come outside of these times in 2014 but it takes time for tour operators to be able to change their itineraries. This was one of the reasons we saw higher growth from this segment as our extended opening hours in the summer allowed above average increases outside of the peak.”
