Today was the first day of studying abroad where I really feel that I have learned nothing new, which is fine by the way, though I did process a bit more about the implications of tourism on communities.. After a visit to the village of Howth that involved more shopping in an open market, eating crepes, and a mile or so long hike to summit a large hill, I do not think that I came away with much in the realm of new information. Instead, I came away having seen a lot great views, having eaten a lot of great food, and having had my day’s worth of exercising.

With that being said, I did mention that I processed a bit more about the implications of tourism for communities in Ireland. Looking at Howth, I am almost one hundred percent positive that it was a fishing community at one time. I am also sure that the majority of the people in Howth today outside of shop workers were not Irish, as I seldom heard Gaelic or Irish accents. In other words, Howth has been more effective at monetizing itself as a tourist destination than the cliffs have. Yesterday I wrote that the Cliffs of Moher seemed like a relatively difficult place to monetize because the vast majority of the crowd there was Irish; Howth was entirely different. Not only was the crowd largely non-Irish, but the crowd was also filling up markets more than they were the rest of the village. The main attraction of Howth was not Howth itself, but instead, the overpriced shops. In other words, I came to the conclusion today that part of monetizing a tourist attraction is making the monetary systems as big of a draw as the actual attraction, or at least, more than simple peripheries.

Overall, I am glad that I had the chance to go to Howth, primarily for the short hike and views, but also because it allowed me to continue processing my thoughts on tourism from yesterday.