This article is from page 6 of the 2006-05-30 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
AN EXTENSION to the Burren National Park is one of the measures that the County Clare Tourism Forum is demanding in order to boost the local tourism industry.
The forum’s members warn that “physical access to and within County Clare is a key requirement for future tourism development in the county”.
They also want resources be allocated to provide a pilot bus transport service from Shannon Airport to service a “Circle of Clare” tourist route.
In a submission to Government as part of the consultation for the National Development Plan 2007-13, the Tourism Forum states that the extension of the National Park and the creation of woodland parks in Clare “would have significant benefits from a tourism, quality of life, conservation and landscape management perspective”.
The members say that expanding the park and creating woodland parks, “would mean that the most outstanding landscapes of Clare and Ireland would be owned by and made available to the nation”.
Their submission states that high quality access to all parts of the county is of fundamental importance to the future of the tourism industry of Clare.
“Visitors landing at Shannon Airport need to be provided with a regular countywide bus service option from the airport terminal. The development of a Transport Service Management Plan for the County including the provision of a necklace of Park and Ride facilities tied in with road, rail and air transport modes countywide is necessary.”
Against the background of the decline of farming, the forum states that if Clare “is to tap into this niche tourism market, walking routes in the county, i.e. the Burren Way, East Clare Way and Mid Clare Way and current proposed extensions thereof, need to be established in a formal way and not just at the goodwill of the landowners involved.”
“The Clare Tourism Forum propose that a pilot programme of funding be put in place administered by existing agencies, i.e. CDB’s, Leader etc. to formalise established walking routes and to properly compensate the landowners affected.
“The tourism industry of Clare is dependent on the high landscape quality of the county.
“Changes in agricultural practices and sustained development pressure from a rapidly growing and affluent economy have implications for the county’s landscape.
As agriculture declines as a source of employment, the importance of rural tourism increases.”