High hopes for tourism boost with Smithwicks visitor centre to open in Kilkenny soon

Hopes are high that the Smithwicks Brewery Experience in Kilkenny will be one of the big tourist attractions for the city and county when it opens.

The development at St Francis Abbey is due to be up and running before the summer is out with recruitment for a number of new jobs there currently underway.

Kilkenny Tourism held its AGM yesterday.

Speaking to KCLR afterwards Chairman Colin Ahern said there are big plans for the city over the next 12 months.

But he expects the new visitor centre in particular to bring huge numbers to the area.