- Shelbourne Hotel, Radisson Blue & Benners Hotel win hotel awards.
- Cliffs of Moher & Atlantic sheepdogs win attraction awards
2016 CIE Tours International Awards Visit Award Winner, Katherine Webster of Cliffs of Moher and Ger Dollard, Service Manager, Clare Co. Council, pictured with Vivienne Jupp, Chairman, CIE and Elizabeth Crabill, Chief Executive Officer, CIE Tours International
Cliffs of Moher won the best visitor attraction at the 27th CIE Tours International Awards for Excellence, selected in a survey of CIE Tours holiday makers in Ireland. Atlantic sheepdogs in Grange, Co Sligo won the best tour feature.
The Cliffs of Moher visitor centre is Ireland’s second most visited attraction in 2016 with 1,427,166 visitors.
Shelbourne Hotel, Radisson Blue Golden Lane and Benners Hotel, Dingle won the national hotel awards.
Siiabh Liag Cliffs, Co Donegal won the National Heritage Award. Ronan McNamara of Derry Walking Tours won the walking tour award.
Accommmodation, service and dining awards went to Kilronan Castle, Ballyfarnon, Co Roscommon, Granville Hotel, Waterford, Killeen House Hotel, Killarney, and The Merry Ploughboy in Rockbrook, Co Dublin.
2016 CIE Tours International Awards 5 Star Hotel winner Aidan Dempsey and Stephen Hanley of The Shelbourne, Dublin, pictured with Vivienne Jupp, Chairman, CIE and Elizabeth Crabill, Chief Executive Officer, CIE Tours International
Awards were presented to 99 winners in Dublin City Hall by Vivienne Jupp, Chairman and Elizabeth Crabill, Chief Executive Officer, CIE Tours International.
Thirteen category winners from around the country were chosen according to customer feedback, including hotels, entertainment venues and tourist destinations ranging from Best 5 Star Hotel Award to a national heritage award.
CIE Tours International, a member of the CIE Group, operates all-inclusive coach tours and fly-drive programmes to Ireland as well as coach tours of Britain and mainland Europe. It also provides combined tours of Ireland and the UK. It is the most successful tour operator involved in delivering tourism to Ireland from North America, carrying 45,000 customers in 2016.
The Chief Executive of CIE Tours International, Elizabeth Crabill told the gathering that 2016 was another excellent year with revenues up to €100m and 320,000 bed-nights booked across Ireland. “Our success is due to the excellent service provided by hundreds of service providers throughout the country. We are pleased to say that 2017 has been progressing well and we are looking forward to exceeding 2016 levels despite external matters such as global terrorism and market fluctuations. A major strength is our size which enables us to negotiate excellent value-for-money packages. With the largest range of tour programmes for those visiting Ireland, we can bring visitors to many areas and attractions not covered by other tour operators. This includes many rural communities throughout the country. The response from our hotels and visitor attractions to the feedback we gave them has been very well received. Our wish list for 2017 would include training and accreditation for tour guides and more development of hotels for the main tourist hubs. Based on the fact that the economy in the United States, our largest market, is growing strongly, together with a substantial increase in the number of available passenger seats to Ireland, we are optimistic that 2017 will see further growth in our business”.
The 2016 CIE Tours International Awards of Excellence Winners
- 5 star hotel The Shelbourne, Dublin
- 4 star hotel Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Golden Lane, Dublin
- 3 star hotel Benners Hotel, Dingle
- Hotel Accommodation Kilronan Castle, Ballyfarnon, Co Roscommon
- Hotel Dinner Dromoland Castle, Co Clare
- Hotel Service & Hospitality Granville Hotel, Waterford
- Event Dinner, entertainment: The Merry Ploughboy, Rockbrook, Co Dublin
- Special Dinner Feature Killeen House Hotel, Killarney, Tour Feature Atlantic Sheep Dogs, Grange, Co Sligo
- Walking Tour Derry Walking Tour Ronan Mc Namara
- Visitor attraction Cliffs of Moher
- National Heritage Award: Siiabh Liag Cliffs, Co Donegal.
- CONNACHT Hotels Ashford Castle; 6 Salthill Hotel; Radisson Blu Hotel Galway; Galway Bay Hotel; Hotel Meyrick; Hotel Westport;
- CONNACHT Visits Dún Aonghasa Fort; Dan O’Hara Homestead; Kylemore Abbey; Ballintubber Abbey; Glen Keen Farm; Rathbaun Farm;
- LEINSTER Hotels: Herbert Park Hotel;Ashling Hotel; Davenport Hotel; Dunboyne Castle Hotel; Croke Park Hotel; Clontarf Castle Hotel; Clayton Hotel Burlington Road; Academy Plaza Hotel; The Gibson Hotel; Clayton Hotel Ballsbridge; Royal Marine Hotel; Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane; Grand Canal Hotel; Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel; Newpark Hotel; Talbot Hotel Stillorgan;
- LEINSTER visits: Glendalough Visitor Centre; Irish National Stud & Gardens; Clonmacnoise; Malahide Castle; Dunbrody Famine Ship; Teeling Whiskey Distillery; Kilmainham Gaol; Greta Power Bungalow B&B; Brú na Bóinne; Smithwick’s Experience Kilkenny; St. Patrick’s Cathedral – Dublin; Russborough House; Dalkey Castle Heritage Centre; Dublin Castle; Glasnevin Museum; Jerpoint Park Sheep Dog Trials;;
- MUNSTER hotels: The Dunloe;Killarney Park Hotel; The Brehon; International Hotel, Killarney; Killarney Plaza Hotel; Killarney Avenue Hotel; Killarney Towers Hotel; The Malton;
- MUNSTER visits: Killarney Horse & Carriage Tours; Tangney Tours – Jaunting Car; Muckross Schoolhouse; Muckross House and Gardens; John B Keane’s Pub; Brendan Ferris Sheep Dog Trials; Robert Power Sheep Dog Trials; Gabriel Kavanagh Sheep Dog Trials & Famine Cottage; Kissane Sheep Farm.
- ULSTER Hotels: Ballygally Castle Hotel; Cabra Castle Hotel; Kee’s Hotel; Europa Hotel; Mill Park Hotel; Hilton Belfast; Everglades Hotel
- ULSTER Visits: Slieve League Cliffs; Giant’s Casueway; Glenveagh National Park; Titanic Belfast; The Causeway Coast Discovery Centre; Down Cathedral;
- See more pictures here or connect with the album of Facebook.
- watch here Katherine Webster, manager of the Cliffs of Moher centre, interviewed by Travel Extra, watch here Katherine Webster speaking at a recent tenth anniversary event, watch here Bill Chambers, Cathaoirleach Clare County Council, and watch here Ger Dollard, director of services with Clare County Council. Picture shows Patricia Nolan and Katherine Webster of the Cliffs of Moher at the tenth anniversary event. See more pictures here or connect with the album on Facebook.
