Irish town blasted as 'one of Europe's top tourist traps' by prominent US travel writer

An Irish market town has come under fire from a dissatisfied American who branded the locale a tourist trap in a brutal review. Killarney, nestled by Lough Leane in County Kerry's stunning southwest, is supposed to be one of Ireland's prized heritage and tourist hotspots.

The sprawling beauty of Killarney National Park wows tourists with its sweeping 26,000 acres, encompassing lakes, mountains, waterfalls, forests, and the tallest mountain range in Ireland, MacGillycuddy's Reeks. Meanwhile, the quality fish eateries and family-friendly bistros offer a variety of dining experiences for visitors.

Yet, renowned US travel scribe Rick Steves holds a starkly contrasting view after penning a blistering critique of Killarney published in USA Today.

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Steves, hailing from California , lambasted the Irish town as one of Europe's prime tourist traps. In his words, unfortunate souls who spend a night in Killarney encounter "a sprawling line of green Holiday Inns and outlet malls littered with pushy shoppers looking for plastic shamrocks," reports the Express .

He further disparaged the destination: "This is a place where most tourists wear nametags - a traffic jam of tour buses. If you have the misfortune to spend the night in Killarney, you'll understand what I mean."

Tourism stands as Killarney's lifeblood, raking in about $455 million annually. The town attracts roughly 1.1 million sightseers each year, with international guests comprising over 60 percent of that figure. In 2023, Killarney National Park saw an uptick in nature enthusiasts, drawing close to 1.5 million visitors (specifically, 1,450,585), marking an increase of nearly 30,000 from the previous year.

A Kerry county has swiftly come to the defence of Killarney, the Kingdom's beloved second largest town. Chatting with Extra. ie, Cllr Brendan Cronin admitted he hasn't fully read the article and "don't know this man from Adam."

Cllr Cronin remarked: 'I suppose, to be genuine about it, all one has to do is come into Killarney and look at the hundreds of thousands that come there every year, that in itself contradicts what he is saying. "

Meanwhile, Councillor Martin Grady highlighted that attractions like Killarney National Park, the Abbey, Muckross Park, and Torc Waterfall are just a few of the breathtaking sights available in the town.

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