A MAJOR new programme of initiatives is being rolled out by Kerry County Council and other partners and agencies, to ensure that Kerry is a safe place to visit and stay as COVID-19 restrictions continue to be phased out over the coming weeks.

The goal is to make Kerry the safest and cleanest of destinations to visit and stay in.

Kerry County Council and its partners have launched a multifaceted ‘Safe Destination Programme’which will ensure that those who begin to visit and holiday in Kerry again can do so in the knowledge that it is a safe place to visit and stay. The Safe Destination Programme includes:

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• A bespoke training programme for tourism and retail staff
• A safer spaces plan for streets, shops and public spaces
• Preparing communities to welcome tourists back to the county
• A tourism marketing campaign to promote staycations in Kerry

The bespoke training programme for staff in the tourism and retail industries in the county has been rolled out by Kerry County Council and the Kerry Education and Training Board (ETB).

Over 2,000 employees have already signed up for the training. It aims to ensure that Kerry tourism and retail staff are trained in infection prevention, hygiene and cleanliness and dealing with customers in the new environment to the highest international standards as they reopen for business.

Business premises whose staff have completed the suite of training courses will receive the ‘Safe Destination’ badge.

Kerry County Council is also implementing a series of measures to ensure that towns and villages reopening for business are recognised as safe environments for commercial businesses to operate as well as for shoppers and visitors.

This includes a series of Safe Street and Safe Shopping initiatives developed with the business chambers and local communities.

Town Centre Mobility Plans are being implemented across each of the five Municipal Districts in the county and make provision for signage and revised parking arrangements to encourage social distancing.

The Council is also working with communities in the county to prepare for the return of visitors to the county, to ensure that residents and communities are reassured that the reopening of tourism is managed and in keeping with the national guidelines and advice.

Finally, the Safe Destination Programme will underpin a major marketing campaign to promote Kerry – to the domestic and staycation market – as travel restrictions continue to change over the coming weeks and months.

The marketing programme is being developed by the Kerry Tourism Industry Federation and Fáilte Ireland with the support of Kerry County Council and will be announced shortly.

Chief Executive of Kerry County Council, Moira Murrell said that Kerry had always been an exemplar in tourism and was now meeting the challenge posed by the new and evolving restrictions to ensure Kerry can welcome visitors back to county with the firm reassurance that is it safe to do so.

‘We want to reassure our visitors that they are safe in Kerry. We know that the tourism industry in Kerry is more impacted than any other in Ireland so that is why we are working to position the county to welcome visitors back to a destination which will implement and observe the highest standards of safety to restrict the spread of the coronavirus,’ she said.

The Chairman of the Kerry Education and Training Board, Cllr Jim Finucane said that having staff prepared for the reopening of hotels, restaurants and bars in the coming months is critically important.

‘Kerry County Council and the Kerry Education and Training Board are providing the training which staff will need to work in the new COVID-19 environment. It deals with practical steps which everyone will need to take to ensure social distancing and other important health guidelines are adhered to. When people do begin to visit Kerry again, they can do so in the full knowledge that staff know how to interact with them in a safe way for everyone’s benefit.  Kerry ETB is delighted to pilot this programme which can, potentially, be rolled out nationally.”