In 1898, an unnamed American who came to Ireland had a fascinating idea to share with us: tourism. "The development of Ireland as a tourist resort should not, nowadays, offer many or serious difficulties," the kindly visitor declared.
Ireland wasn't always the thriving hotspot for stag weekends and over-priced, overcast city breaks it is today. Back then, the idea of visiting for anything approaching recreation was novel enough to merit a full column and a half in The Weekly Irish Times on April 2nd of that year, headlined: "Ireland as a resort for tourists."
And why shouldn't they come? After all, "the Green Isle is easily 'get-to-able' from England, Scotland and Wales, and a very large percentage of visitors to Europe from Canada and the United States come so close to her shores that it would seem that but a small amount of persuasion were necessary to get a considerable number of them to land."
In the 19th century, tourism was a rapidly changing beast, with “cheap trippers” and cyclists making up a new breed of consumer who paid quick, fleeting visits to places; however, one thing remained true for countries pursuing a market share: “Tickle the tourist as the good angler tickles a trout. The tourist will bite, too!”
The writer - identified only by the initials TLR - issues some sage advice for Ireland’s foray into hospitality. Insider nuggets like: “It should always be remembered that tourists are ‘on pleasure bent’ and they expect to be pleased”, and “They expect to get all the comfort possible out of a strange place and a strange people, and if they don’t get it they will go away, and will not come back again.”
Ireland could have benefitted from the “Swiss model”, which the writer says came about via “walking tour” trips for foreign schoolchildren, who would then spread word to parents about the beauty of the country via postcards. “Following upon all this, was it not natural that papa and mamma, and very likely aunt Mary, should wish to see for themselves all that had been so vividly described?”
‘At best, they are not tempting’
At the time, Ireland’s railway network was “all right”, in the opinion of the writer, if in need of a cash injection. The same couldn’t be said for the accommodation: “Outside of the large towns there are about a dozen really good hotels in the whole of Ireland, and as for ‘lodgings’ - well, the less said the better.
“At best, they are not tempting. Even a tourist has a preference for a carpeted floor, but, I know I shall be told - ‘it is good enough for us, it will have to do for them’. This is absolutely false in each case.”
One issue working against us was "a tremendous ignorance" concerning the geography of Ireland. "Of course, everybody has at one time or another, heard of the Lakes of Killarney, and some few have been told the legend of Blarney Castle. I am not afraid to say, however, that not one English person, unless having relatives in or having visited Ireland, not one out of fifty could tell where the Castle of Blarney stands."
Irish men and women abroad weren’t too well up, either: “Only localities are known. The Galwayman knows Galway, the Corkman Cork, the Wicklowman Wicklow, and so on.” The solution here again lies with school children, according to TLR: “Free descriptive lectures with magic lantern views at every school in the world. It is a very large order, but I see nothing to prevent it being carried into effect.”
The final component to crack Ireland’s tourist potential is the press, but no straight-up, on-the-nose advertisement will do - proper travel ads are a subtle affair: “Ireland wants but to be known to be visited. Let her be known. And it is not by the ordinary channels of advertising that this can be done with any success. The methods of attracting the tourist and tempting him to land best be insidious and ingratiating.”
There it is. If Ireland could only sort the shabby accommodation, tap into the lucrative school tours racket and slap together a slick advertorial strategy, tourists “may quite naturally turn their gaze in this direction, and all you have to do to them is just tickle them!”
This story is part of the 'Lost Leads' series - a revisiting of lesser-known stories that have made the pages of The Irish Times since 1859. What can you find? Let us know on Twitter: @DeanRuxton. For more information on subscribing to the archive, see here: www.irishtimes.com/archive