Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Declan Hurley is asking everyone to vote and make Spike Island the World’s Leading Tourist Attraction 2017.
Recently named Europe’s Leading Attraction at the World Travel Awards, Spike Island now goes forward to the Grand World Final to be held on 10th December at Phu Quoc, Vietnam.
Speaking at the opening of the voting system, Mayor Hurley highlighted how wonderful it was to accept the award of Europe’s Leading Attraction on behalf of Cork County Council,
“This is recognition of the enormous effort from the people of Cobh who fought for its interpretation, to the former County Manager Martin Riordan to the current County Manager Tim Lucey. To go on and win the World Award would be fantastic, for Cobh, for Cork and for Ireland.”
It’s been an extraordinary year for Spike Island which was a working prison up to 2004. Responsibility for the island was handed over to Cork County Council in 2010 and following a investment of over €6 by the Council and Failte Ireland the island reopened in June 2016. Over 45,000 visitors were welcomed in its first full year with visitor number expected to reach 100,000 by 2020.
Currently ranked the top attraction in Cork on Tripadvisor, further investment is planned to increase the ferry capacity, add to the existing tour content and interpret parts of the outer island, making them available to the public.
Chief Executive of Cork County Council Tim Lucey hopes the people of Cork continue supporting the island and vote,
“It is a major boost for the county to have Europe’s leading tourist attraction on our doorstep. We are asking everyone to help the island take the next step and to see a World title come to Cork, which would be a phenomenal effort and reward for the county”.
The island will remain open for weekends in October and for pre-booked groups of 15 or more over winter, which will include the islands popular After Dark tours.
The public are encouraged to vote by visiting www.spikeislandcork.ie and clicking the link to cast their vote.