Cunnane highlights benefits of eco-tourism

Eco-friendly tourism projects could generate additional visitor numbers, revenue and jobs in rural areas, according to the head of Shannon Development.

“Shannon Development believes there is tremendous potential to generate additional visitor numbers, revenue and jobs in rural areas through the development of eco-friendly tourism projects,” said Dr Vincent Cunnane, CEO of Shannon Development, at the ICER Project International Conference organised by Shannon Development on Wednesday.
Shannon Development is partnering with six other European regional development agencies from France, Hungary, Spain, Finland, Malta and Slovenia in identifying best practice and policies for the development of eco-friendly tourism businesses in rural areas.
The EU-funded project is called ICER (Innovative Concept of Eco-Accommodation Approach in Rural Regions) and is due for completion in 2012.
As part of the project, Shannon Development has selected the Burren area in North Clare as an international example of best practice for eco-tourism development.
Highlighting the importance of the ICER Project for the Shannon Region, Dr Cunnane said, “Tourism is often the only means of generating economic activity in rural areas. A key objective of the ICER Project is the creation of the right policies, support programmes and grant schemes that will encourage eco-friendly tourism investment.”
Defined by the International Eco Tourism Society (TIES) as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well being of local people”, the eco-tourism market has been growing since the 1990s at a rate of 30% annually. Eco-tourism is one of the fastest-growing niche tourism sectors in Europe.
“The ICER Project is providing us with a platform to identify and share our experience of eco-tourism policies and practices in participating regions, explore how these policies and practices can be improved and adapted to regional specific needs, eventually leading to the publication of a Public Policy Recommendation Handbook in 2012,” said ICER project manager, Thomas Ducloutrier.
The handbook will be a European reference guide used by public policy makers in the development of eco-tourism investment in rural areas.
Discussing the benefits of supporting local tourism operators and landowners, Flan Quilligan, tourism product development manager, Shannon Development said, “The Walks Scheme, part of the Shannon Region Trails Programme, is a prime example of a public-funded scheme, which supports a maintenance programme on privately owned lands and resulted in the successful development of a range of walking trails throughout the Shannon Region.”
“Over the past number of years, in excess of €4 million has been invested under the Shannon Region Trails Programme in developing walking and cycling infrastructural projects including looped walks, long-distance waymarked ways, new cycling hubs and mountain biking. These projects are providing significant benefits to rural economies in various parts of the Shannon Region. For example, in excess of 40,000 visitors per annum are now using the Ballyhoura Mountain Biking Trails in County Limerick,” Mr Quilligan said.