WE knew it all along but now it’s official – Killarney is Ireland’s top destination after pipping Dublin in the ratings for the first time ever.
TripAdvisor’s prestigious Travellers’ Choice Awards has named Killarney as the best of them all, with Dingle and Tralee also featuring in the top 10 destinations in Ireland.
The award winners are determined by accessing the quantity and quality of reviews and ratings for hotels, restaurants and attractions in destinations worldwide over a 12-month period.
The competition for the top spot in Ireland is particularly intense with Killarney finally making the breakthrough and out-polling Dublin to claim the top spot for the first time.
“The competition among global tourist destinations has never been tougher,” said a TripAdvisor spokesperson.
Killarney is far and away the most impressive must-visit locations in Ireland, according to TripAdvisor users who have posted rave reviews about their experiences in the town.
Local hotelier Michael Rosney, who is PRO of the Kerry branch of the Irish Hotels’ Federation, said it was fantastic news for everybody involved in tourism here.
“It’s a great vote of confidence from the general public in the quality, value and variety of Killarney’s tourism product and it is a wonderful endorsement of the sheer world class nature of the product this town has to offer,” he said.
Mr Rosney, who owns the Killeen House Hotel in Killarney, added: “We should all be very proud of this achievement. All too often we forget just how good we actually are at what we do.”
TripAdvisor’s top 10 Irish destinations are
1. Killarney
2. Dublin
3. Dingle
4. Galway
5. Donegal
6. Westport
7. Cork
8. Sligo
9. Doolin
10. Tralee
Meanwhile, Marrakech is the favourite global destination, finishing ahead of Siem Reap in Cambodia, Istanbul, Hanoi and Prague.
