Three Irish cycling businesses are up for the country's premier tourism awards. Let us know in the messages section below if there are other companies you'd go for. Above, Gracey's Bar, a key component in Westport Smarter Travel's Bike Buffet initiative (Photo: Michael McLaughlin)
By Jessica Lamb
CYCLING initiatives have made the shortlist in three categories for this year’s inaugural Irish Tourism Industry Awards, run by Failte Ireland, Tourism Ireland and the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation.
CycleWest Ireland has been nominated for Best Adventure Experience, Dublin Bike Tours for Best Urban Experience, and Westport Smarter Travel’s Bike Buffet is up for Best Food Experience alongside giants like Ballymaloe, The Food Summit and Kinsale Good Food Circle.
Kirsten O’Dwyer, festival and events co-ordinator at Westport Smarter Travel, was very pleased to make the shortlist with such well-known names.
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“We’re absolutely delighted.We worked very hard to get it up and running last year and it’s great to see it pay off like that," she said, before outlining how the Bike Buffet works.
“Registration in the morning takes place at a hotel, where we have mocktails, then we cycle along the Greenway to a restaurant for our starter.
"We then get back on our bikes and head to Gracey’s Bar at Westport House. This is a fantastic place, with a BBQ and brilliant pizzas and lots of space outside.
"We always stay longest here and it’s the one venue that we use on every Bike Buffett. After the main course we get back on the Greenway to get to dessert.”
Nine Bike Buffett’s took place last year, tying in with popular local festivals events, like the food festival in September, Culture Night and the Westsportif.
The initiative attracts up to 80 people per event and is designed to promote the bike as a form of transport, as well as support the town’s businesses.
Brian Griffin (right) of Dublin City Bike Tours sees his fleet of bikes almost doubling to 100 by 2016
The Bike Buffet would not be possible without the Greenway - Ireland’s largest off-road tour route - and Brian Griffin of Dublin City Bike Tours sees the proposed Liffey Cycle Route as transformative for his business.
“If there was a one-way cycle route coming into the city along the Liffey it opens up a whole new world for us," he said.
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With 60, state-of-the-art, fold-up bikes already in operation, Griffin’s tours are ranked the second best outdoor activity in Dublin on review website TripAdvisor.
He says his success is down to integrating the bike tour into the trip and maintaining good value.
“Our three-hour tours are €24 and we haven’t changed that price since we started in 2010 with just 10 bikes. We now have a scheduled tour everyday from 10am and also do private and corporate tours too.
CycleWest Ireland gets cycling holiday makers and day trippers out into the countryside on two wheels.
“We try not to have any one theme for a tour. We thrown in a bit of everything, and if they have a particular interest, we’ll research that and incorporate it. We also tailor routes so people get the most out of it.
"For example, getting people to their next destination, while taking the tour and experiencing the city at visceral level.
“That’s where we think we can develop. We already work with some other tour companies and we want to be the ones that can fulfil their requests.
"The fact our bikes fold up means they can go on the Dart at all times, adding that as an option, and we’ve even taken them on Dublin Bay Cruises.
Ireland has only begun to tap its undoubted massive potential globally for cycling tourism.
“One of these most commented on elements is our recommendations map," he added.
"We usually stop for refreshments at The Barge mid-ride and there we’ll tell them what’s on in Dublin while they’re here and draw recommendations on their personalised map.
"I just mark down where the best beer is, or the best burrito, whatever, all near where they are staying. It’s those little things that really count.”
Griffin, a former electrical contractor, intends to expand his fleet to 100 by the end of the year and hopes to soon be able to take on school tours.
The Irish Tourism Industry Awards Gala takes place on Friday, April 24 at DoubleTree by Hilton Dublin. For full list of finalists click here.
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