Sixty-two towns across the country are to benefit from an investment of over €15 million in the tourism industry.
The investment will be made through the local authorities, according to Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin who made the announcement today.
“I’m delighted to unveil Fáilte Ireland’s new investment scheme, which will provide a significant boost for towns across the country with untapped tourism potential," he said.
"This scheme is a great opportunity for towns which aren’t fully active in the tourism industry to look at how their local economy can benefit from increased tourism activity as well as the physical development the scheme will bring."
The scheme will see every local authority given between €250,000 and €500,000 to develop up to two towns in their area which have the potential to become so-called ‘destination town’ for tourists.
The ‘destination towns’ will need to demonstrate their capacity and appeal to attract more international visitors to stay overnight.
To be successful in their funding submissions, County Councils will be expected to identify towns that have the following features, according to Fáilte Ireland:
- At least one visitor attraction of scale
- A range of things to see and do for two days
- A selection of accommodation
“The importance of tourism as an economic driver and source of employment cannot be underestimated," said Paul Kelly, Fáilte Ireland’s CEO.
"It is a unique industry in terms of its ability to spur local job creation and sustain rural communities. That is why, at Fáilte Ireland, everything we do is underpinned by two strategic pillars – spreading tourism across a wider geography and creating a broader tourism season so businesses can remain open for longer."
The scheme will officially open in April.
