Tourism promoters in Ennis are calling on the business community here to treat everyone as if they are a judge in this year’s Tourism Towns and Tidy Towns competitions.

Local co-ordinator of the Tourism Towns competition, Teresa McGrath who is also vice -chairperson of Ennis Tidy Towns, explains that Toursm Town competition is a prestigious one, is organised by Failte Ireland on a national basis and is now in its third year.

She and her colleagues are urging businesses here to pull out all the stops when it comes to customer service, especially during the months of June and July when the judges will be in the town for Ireland’s Tourism Towns Competition.

“Winning the competition would have long-term beneficial effects by way of tourism and social events as everybody knows that a strong tourist industry contributes to the sustainability of towns and villages and to the economic viability of the business community,” she said.

“The Tidy Towns competition is on at present and this is also important to the town, keeping the streets litter free, having nice floral displays and in general having the town look its best”, she said.

“The Tourism Town competition is about Ennis and its people, the friendliness, courtesy and the welcoming atmosphere for visitors and what we offer them by way of entertainment”, she added.

“We all know that Ennis business people always strived to improve customer services through such innovations as Create the Magic, Inis Dom and The Purple Flag and this shows that,apart from from the business motivation, they want to be personal and evolve into the social scene”, the TidyTowns promoter said.

She and the local committee are again appealing to those involved in the hospitality and other business providers to wear “their best smile in the coming weeks and give a cheery hello and a wam handshake. Presume that any of their customers are one of the judges”.