Laois ‘missing a trick’ by not ‘tapping into the booming market for motorhome and campervan visitors’

A local County Councillor has said that Laois is “missing a trick” when it comes to “tapping into the booming market for motorhome and campervan visitors.”

Speaking at the July meeting of Laois County Council this week, Labour Councillor Marie Tuohy said Laois remains “one of the few counties in the country without a motorhome or campervan camping facility.”

Cllr Tuohy called for a Feasibility Report to be carried out “into the potential and prospects for a dedicated motorhome/camping facility in the County.”

The Portlaoise Councillor asked that “in light of the huge demand and popularity of this tourism sector” Laois County Council begin “exploring the possibilities, partnerships and location for such an amenity.”

Cllr Tuohy went on to say that “camping and motorhomes have always been popular, but they have really taken off and enjoyed a renaissance of interest especially since the lockdowns and the renewed emphasis on the benefits of getting outside in nature and the advantages and attractions of holidaying at home here in Ireland.”

The Labour Councillor said this area was an opportunity for Laois to improve their efforts to promote the county as an important part of tourism initiatives such as Ireland’s Ancient East and Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands.

Cllr Tuohy pointed to similar initiatives and collaborations Portumna, Cobh, Dungarvan, Clonmel and highlighted Graigenamanagh in Kilkennywhich she said is “providing employment and a direct economic benefit to the local village and its small businesses, recently estimated to be worth €1.5m to the local economy.”

She continued: “Fáilte Ireland talk a lot about regenerative tourism and about spreading the visitors to the regions and beyond the congestion of Dublin Airport and the capital in general.

“No other form of vacation and recreation reaches into the regions and rural areas more so than motorhomes and campervans.

“The latest CSO figures show that there are 21,600 registered motorhomes in Ireland. When you take into account the UK, only a couple of hours away on a ferry, that number multiplies tenfold.

“Then you have the ferry traffic from the continent via Dublin, Rosslare and Cork and the potential is enormous – a potential on which Laois is missing out – to attract the young families, the active young people seeking adventure and retirees – who all make up the diverse motorhome community.

“This is a no brainer. Let’s do something about it. The Council can act as a catalyst, it can support, it can partner with others and provide such an amenity here in Laois, identify suitable locations – and finally put the county on the motorhome map for Irish, UK and European visitors.

“We have great attractions, we have lovely hotels and such a facility would be another important string to our bow, as currently we are missing out and being left behind on the great campervan adventure.”

Laois County Council have already prepared an Issues Paper on the matter which was brought before a meeting of the Economic Development, Enterprise and Tourism SPC (Strategic Policy Committee).

The Council said this is designed to address “the current gap in facilities for motorhome tourism in County Laois, develop a policy to promote and encourage such facilities together with identifying dedicated motorhome aires (service areas) to attract and accommodate this growing tourism sector.”

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