BUSINESSES ALL over the country are suffering the impact of the downturn but for Fota Wildlife Park in Cork, the increase in people holidaying at home in Ireland has been a boon. Visitor numbers are up as families flock to keep their youngsters entertained over the summer.
Fota Wildlife Park says its visitor numbers have risen 7 per cent on the same period last year, with a record half-term attendance of 161,214. Memberships are also up 7 per cent while member visits are up 25 per cent on last year.
David Gibson, director of the wildlife park, said he was delighted that Fota is continuing to prove such a popular attraction with visitors from all over Ireland.
“We are in a very strong position to beat our own visitor record number from last year. There has been an increase in footfall at Fota and there is a real buzz around the place.”
Dr Gibson cited the new Fota website and additional train tours as some of the improvements that had helped to draw more visitors to the wildlife park.
“There has been an intense effort on integrated marketing communications which has proved successful. We have launched our new website, which has many functions, enhancing your online experience with strong links to many social media networking sites.
“Inside the park, there are additional train tours and, for the summer months, we have introduced new activity staff who are a big hit with the kids.”
The arrival of a number of new baby animals earlier this year has also been a huge factor. Fota has celebrated the arrival of a ring-tailed lemur, the colobus monkeys, the saki and the agile gibbon.
The park employs 85 staff in the east Cork area and has recently submitted plans for further development. Management hopes to develop the entrance of the park with new gift shops, a cafe, a plaza, a playground, an animal exhibition and an administration building.
Fota Wildlife Park was opened in 1983 by the then president of Ireland, Dr Patrick Hillery, and is a joint project of the Zoological Society of Ireland and University College Cork. Fota Wildlife Park Ltd is a non-profit organisation limited by guarantee, and it is a registered charity.