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Abstract
The lakes and waterways of north-west Ireland provide a vital resource in a region lacking a strong economic base. The development opportunities of the cruising industry in the region have been much strengthened by the reopening of the Shannon-Erne Waterway combined with the peace initiatives of 1994. This paper presents a review of cruising on Lough Erne and the new waterway from the perspective of visitors, and comments on prospects for the future. The study is based on a visitor survey conducted during the summer of 1994. and captured the visitor response to the cruising experience and to the natural and built environment. Although some deficiencies in service provision are pin-pointed, the general reaction is extremely positive. Environmental quality is high, and a strong basis for development is present so that, with proper management, there is every chance of success in achieving the elusive combination of both sustainability of tourism and improvement in economic conditions.