Kinsale is home to Ireland’s best walking tour, according to US tourists
It’s always a great spot for a stroll.
But now Kinsale’s popular local walking tour has been awarded best in Ireland as one of three Cork attractions to be celebrated at the CIE Tours Awards of Excellence in Dublin last night.
CIE Tours, the largest carrier of US visitors to Ireland every year, presented its annual awards to hoteliers and tourism experiences that achieved approval ratings of over 92% from the 25,000 tourists who travelled to Ireland with the company in 2023.
Historic Stroll Kinsale Walking Tours was honored with A CIE Tours Excellence Award for ‘best walking tour’. Barry Moloney and Don Herlihy entertain visitors with stories and tales that give a vivid picture of historic Kinsale while strolling through the beautiful town.
The River Lee Hotel, a longtime favorite of CIE Tours visitors, received a merit award in the hotel category, while the Blarney Castle received a Merit Award in the visitor experience category.
“Year on year huge effort is made by our partners to improve and enhance their offerings based on the feedback we provide to them from our annual visitor surveys,” said Stephen Cotter, Interim CEO of CIE Tours.
“Their dedication and commitment help to maintain Ireland’s reputation as a leading destination for US visitors. We are delighted to recognise Stroll Kinsale Historic Walking Tours with an Award of Excellence and to present Merit Awards to the River Lee Hotel and Blarney Castle.
“Each makes an important contribution to Irish tourism, and to their local communities in terms of jobs and wealth creation”.
Mr Cotter said that CIE Tours now employs over 125 people in Ireland, the US, and the UK and bookings in 2024 are ahead of expectations.
