Local tourism businesses, tourism and community group members, as well as other interested parties and individuals, took part in one of a series of Fáilte Ireland workshops last Friday to pull together stories, ideas, and opportunities that could be used to boost tourism in the area.
The findings from the workshops will feed into a Visitor Experience Development Plan - the aim of which is to improve the range and quality of experiences available to visitors and ultimately enable continued growth in visitor numbers, dwell time and spend, with a view to helping to extend the tourism season and spread business across all parts of the area. The workshop took place in the Castlecourt Hotel, Westport, with additional workshops taking place in other areas this week.
Miriam Kennedy, Head of the Wild Atlantic Way, explained: "Local consultation and input is essential if we are going to produce a plan that works for the visitor and for the local economy. We look forward to welcoming everyone to these workshops to share their knowledge and ideas."
The development of the plan will be assisted by external experts appointed by Fáilte Ireland who will bring the benefit of their international experience to the process. These experts will explore the region, meeting those in the local communities and sampling the experiences on offer for visitors to formulate a plan that will help the Clew Bay area stand out as a destination on the Wild Atlantic Way.
The deliberations will also involve key stakeholders including the local authorities and the widest possible range of local tourism stakeholders. Everyone with ideas and knowledge to share is welcome to the planned workshops.
The Visitor Experience Development Plan forms part of a bigger process that is seeking to increase visitor numbers on the Wild Atlantic Way with a particular focus on increasing the time and money they spend in areas that have capacity for growth.
Anyone who could not attend a workshop but would like to contribute to the discussion can also submit their ideas to Fionnán Nestor, [email protected] or (086 ) 0481877.
