20 percent drop in visitors to Aran Islands
Galway Bay fm newsroom - There has been a drop of over 20% in the number of people travelling from Rossaveal to the Aran Islands in recent years.
Statistics show that the numbers dropped to less than 160,000 last year. Just over 222,000 people travelled on the ferries from Rosaveal to Aran in 2007.
The figures dropped to 163,000 in 2012 and dropped further to less than 160,000 in the year just ended.
Out of that number last year, over 17,000 were trips by people who live on the Aran Islands. The drop may be explained by the fact there were two ferry companies marketing in the past, or a drop in tourism in the West and intense competition from other iconic locations.