Up to two thousand extra places are being offered at The Gobbins in response to “phenomenal” interest from around the world.
The additional tours will be available within days, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has announced, and could see an extra 500 visitors per week provided with the opportunity to savour the spectacular flagship attraction.
The move comes just over a week after the Council revealed that tickets for The Gobbins Cliff Path in Islandmagee have been selling out in record time this summer.
Tours will now take place every 30 minutes, as opposed to every hour, and are available to book online now. The changes will come into effect from Monday 7 August.
Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Paul Reid, said: “The extra tours have been arranged to meet the incredible demand from international visitors travelling to the coastal adventure site. The interest in the attraction has been phenomenal.
“It means that The Gobbins could attract another 4,500 visitors this summer.
“Since reopening in June, our team of more than 40 guides have already welcomed over 3,000 international and local visitors, and the rest of the summer looks set to be even busier.
“The addition of our extra tours not only means that we’ll be able to welcome more tourists who are visiting Northern Ireland this summer, but also ensure our local guests get the chance to experience this exhilarating adventure that sits on their doorstep.”
Alister Bell, Operations and Development Manager at The Gobbins, said: “We have been lucky enough to get some fantastic summer days this year, and our tour guides and guest relations staff have been enjoying welcoming visitors from all over the world to the site.
“Visitors are simply stunned by the breath-taking beauty, stairways and bridges that the trek boasts, making it one of Northern Ireland’s top tourist attractions. We look forward to welcoming many more to the Mid and East Antrim area to see just how much we have to offer.”
The exhilarating coastal attraction, which takes visitors, along winding stairways, over tubular bridges and below sea level, has drawn tourists in their droves – and Mid and East Antrim Borough Council recently revealed tours during the summer are almost fully booked.
Internationally revered, The Gobbins has welcomed guests from countries including America, Australia, Germany, France and Spain, and the trek has also proved a huge hit locally.
Chief Executive of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Anne Donaghy, said: “The Gobbins plays a key role within the Mid and East Antrim tourism strategy and is a crucial contributor to the long-term growth of tourism within our Borough and Northern Ireland.
“The Gobbins is rightly recognised as a world class attraction and this summer it has brought visitors from all over to Mid and East Antrim and the Causeway Coastal Route. I look forward to the further development of this very unique visitor experience.”
The Gobbins Cliff Path tours start at 10am daily, and continue throughout the day until late evening, now with a tour every 30 minutes. The Cliff Path is open seven days a week until 3 September.
For tickets and more information, visit www.thegobbinscliffpath.com.