This article is from page 2 of the 2006-01-17 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 2 JPG
FÁILTE Ireland has this week committed its largest ever budget for the development of tourism in the Shannon region.
The 2006 organisations budget of €9 million, which was announced at their annual conference in Limerick on Friday, will be spent on marketing, business supports, training, and supporting the activities of Shannon Development.
Speaking at the conference the chief executive of Fáilte Ireland, Shaun Quinn, noted the benefits to the region of the increased Ryanair activity in Shannon Airport: “It was encouraging to note that the increase in direct air access from continental Europe has benefited the region in terms of overnight visitors.
“Activities and attractions are central to increasing the visitors spend and it this is especially important for rural areas.”
The conference was co-hosted by Tourism Ireland, the agency charged with marketing Ireland in foreign countries.
Tourism Ireland chief executive, Paul O’Toole, unveiled its new €50 million, three-year advertising campaign which they hope will reach an audience of some 200 million people per annum.
The advertisement will feature images of Dromoland Castle and the Cliffs of Moher, as well as a number of other tourist locations from around Ireland.
“Tourism Ireland will adopt a multifaceted strategy for the accelerated promotion of the regions of Ireland overseas,” said Mr O’Toole.
“We will invest an estimated €5m to support this strategy and engage in additional, co-operative marketing with all regions.”
Also speaking at the conference, John King, Heritage and Tourism Director of Shannon Development said that his priority will be to work closely with Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland and the region’s tourism interests to capitalise on the potential of a greatly expanded range of direct flights into Shannon Airport and the West of Ireland.
Meanwhile, an initiative launched last week should bring training and development for tourism businesses in Clare to a new level, according to those behind the project. Learning networks, poised to meet the needs of small and mediumsized tourism enterprises in the county, will be set up over the next three years.
Essentially it will see those involved in tourism joining learning clusters, consisting of other tourism interests, with whom they will liaise.
Limerick-based May Day Management Consultants has been awarded the contract for delivering the initiative in the Shannon region. Its managing consultant, Padraig Cleary said 25 businesses in Clare have been invited to get involved.