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Susan Vickers, An Taisce, Padraig Hanrahan, Destination Kerry and Caroline Boland, Dingle Peninsula Tourism, delegates at the national tourism conference in Listowel today, Wednesday, hosted by Kerry County Council. Photo:Valerie O’Sullivan
KERRY County Council hosted a major national tourism conference in Listowel today, Wednesday with a focus on growing and enhancing the Wild Atlantic Way.
The event at the Listowel Arms Hotel heard from a wide range of tourism experts and aims to strengthen the links and networks which have been created to maximise the benefits of the internationally-renowned tourism route.
The conference, with the theme of ‘Working as One on the Wild Atlantic Way – Building Sustainable Communities’, was opened by the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin TD and the keynote address on Tuesday evening was delivered by musician and broadcaster, Philip King.
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Contributors included the Head of the Wild Atlantic Way with Fáilte Ireland, Fiona Monaghan, Professor Brian Epsey of Trinity College Dublin, the CEO of the Shannon Group, Matthew Thomas and several senior figures from local authorities around the country.
The conference looked at the role of local government in tourism and partnerships with other State agencies and local development companies.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to discuss the future of the Wild Atlantic Way which has already been such a wonderful success,” said Joan McCarthy, Head of Tourism with Kerry County Council.
“It provides a forum for discussion about further enhancing the benefits of the route for the communities nearby and what the challenges will be in sustaining those benefits into the future. Such an approach is a key element of the County Kerry Tourism Strategy and Action Plan which was published in 2016 and has the full support of the elected members of Kerry County Council,” she said. Scroll down for photos…
Siobhan King, Fáilte Ireland, Kieran Ruttledge, Tralee Chamber Alliance, Lisa Geaney, Crag Caves, delegates at the national tourism conference in Listowel today, Wednesday, hosted by Kerry County Council. Photo:Valerie O’Sullivan
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Vincent Kidd, Royal Hotel, Valentia Island, Annmarie Nic Gearailt, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Declan Murphy, Fáilte Ireland, Mary O’Connor Derrynane, delegates at the national tourism conference in Listowel today, Wednesday, hosted by Kerry County Council. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
Cllr Michael Beasley, Cllr Norma Moriarty and Cathaoireach Kerry County Council, Cllr John Sheahan, delegates at the national tourism conference in Listowel today, Wednesday, hosted by Kerry County Council. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
Kerry Aiport Delegates, Eimear McDonnell, left, and Brigeen O’Sullivan, Bespoke Business Support, Cathaoirleach Kerry County Council, Cllr Tom Sheahan, Chief Executive Kerry County Council, Moira Murrell, Brendan Tuohy, Destination Kerry, Conor Hennigan, Board Kerry Airport, at the national tourism conference in Listowel today, Wednesday, hosted by Kerry County Council. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
The Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin TD, left, with Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council, Cllr John Sheahan, Moira Murrell, Chief Executive Kerry County Council, Fiona Monaghan, Head of the Wild Atlantic Way, Fáilte Ireland, Niall Ó’Donnchú, Assistant Secretary, Dept. of Culture, Heritage and Gaeltacht, Joan McCarthy, Head of Tourism Development, Kerry County Council.Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
CALL FOR WILD ATLANTIC WAY INTERPRETIVE CENTRE. A Kerry County Councillor has called on Kerry County Council and Failte Ireland to develop a Wild Atlantic Way Interpretive Centre in Kerry, as a matter of extreme urgency, citing that this will be a major Tourist attraction for the county. Councillor Cahill said the massive success of the Wild Atlantic Way which is a world class route has significantly increased visitor numbers to County Kerry and has also developed into a famous International marketing brand. The Fianna Fail Councillor said Kerry should be the first to develop such an Interpretive Centre with many suitable locations along the Kerry coastline. Councillor Cahill made the call ahead of the National Tourism Conference – ‘Working as One on the Wild Atlantic Way – Building Sustainable Communities ‘ due to take place in the Listowel Arms Hotel on Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th September 2017. The Rossbeigh man has also submitted the following Motion for the September Meeting of Kerry County Council in respect of the matter. “That Kerry County Council and Failte Ireland take into consideration the massive success of the Wild Atlantic Way which is a world class route and has significantly increased visitor numbers to County Kerry and has also developed into a famous International marketing brand by building a Wild Atlantic Way Interpretive Centre in Kerry, as a matter of extreme urgency, as this will be a major Tourist attraction for our county. “