Sir, – Regarding the return on investment for the Great Western Greenway (September 13th), a recent study in New Zealand showed that “The economic value of mountain-biking in Rotorua has been estimated at five times its annual timber revenue. . .”. These figures are a result of tourists contributing to the local economy through accommodation, and other businesses and services which they avail of while visiting.
This reflects a pattern already observed in Wales and Scotland, both of which have excellent biking facilities. Coillte has invested in recreational facilities in recent years, making great strides to build an infrastructure of high-quality trails (mostly off-road). Apart from the obvious benefits of getting people hiking and biking in our forests, the direct economic benefits are often underestimated or ignored.
In the meantime, there continues to be speculation regarding the sale of Coillte harvesting rights, which would be likely to have impact on the recent trail development. This sale would – in many people’s view – be short-sighted to say the least. In the meantime, those working in tourism near the Greenway can attest to the huge increase in visitor numbers and obvious economic benefits to the region. – Yours, etc,