Economic Value of Ireland's Historic Environment - The Heritage ...

1999/2000. One of the reasons for its development was to relocate the various commercial activities and
outlets away from the house itself and allow for its more complete restoration and conservation as
originally maintained.
While the NPWS has a limited role in promoting the National Park and its various attractions (including
Muckross House), the Trustees of Muckross House take a more active role in its promotion and
marketing, particularly locally. This includes by way of leaflets, and flyers, magazine articles and
advertisements, the use of local radio and other media. Failte Ireland is responsible for marketing and
promoting the region from a national tourism perspective, including its various attractions for visitors and
tourists.
10.3 Inputs
Admission charges for visitors to the house are €7 per adult, and €7.50 in the case of the traditional
farms. Discounts are available for senior citizens, students and children, and family groups. Total
revenues at the attraction are in the order of €3m per annum, made up of ticket sales, restaurant income
and sales at other outlets. A share of tickets sales revenue is returned to the Trustees who in turn invest
the proceeds in further works, programmes, promotion or maintenance activities or in a sinking fund that
is in place to meet such costs.
Capital investment has been in the order of €20,000 per annum in recent years and covers small
improvements to buildings and facilities. The Walled Garden Centre cost in the region of €5m to develop,
a cost shared between the Trustees and the NPWS. The running costs are approximately €2.3m per
annum, of which staff costs constitute approximately two thirds.
10.4 Economic Benefits
In 2010 there were approximately 95,000 visitors to the House and approximately 52,000 visitors to the
Traditional Farms. Significant numbers of additional people visit the National Park and may be attracted
to do so at least in part due to the House and its associated buildings, however the number of such cases
is hard to quantify.
The number of staff, between those working in the House, in the Traditional Farms and in the Restaurant,
Cafe and associated outlets ranges from between 40 off peak up to 100 during the peak summer months.
Throughout the year it averages approximately 70.
Killarney Town is a world-renown tourist destination and perhaps the best-known medium-sized tourist
town in Ireland. Tourism is the lifeblood of the town, and the greatest source of earnings for a great
proportion of its inhabitants and businesses. While its location in the heart of County Kerry is a central
cause of its popularity, there is probably little doubt that the existence and proximity of Killarney National
Park to the town acts as a substantial attractor of tourists, both during the peak season as well as
throughout the year. Muckross House and Traditional Farms are a critically important feature within the
Park and one that is likely to underpin the latter‟s attractiveness to international and national tourists and
local community members alike.
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