Forum chair highlights need for more Shannon routes

A LACK of flights into Shannon Airport is hampering Clare’s tourism performance, according to the new chair of the Clare Tourism Forum.

Barbara Faulkner said  the forum’s promotions last year were successful, particularly highlighting the website www.clare.ie, which attracted 155,497 hits during 2011.
“I would say Clare is performing quite well in relation to other counties but the downside is the access coming into Shannon. If we had more routes coming into Shannon, we would be in a much better position,” Ms Falkner told The Clare Champion.
The Clare Tourism Forum was established in early 2006 to mobilise a collaborative strategy to sustain and develop tourism within the county. It now represents 245 businesses. Among the events the forum held last year were a networking event in West Clare and a London to Clare evening in Kensington. It published extensive promotional material, including reproducing 15,000 Clare Live the Life DVDs.
“We have no doubt that its various marketing and promotion initiatives do bring business to the county. This has been clear from anecdotal evidence and feedback from members as to business generated in the various sectors. The forum has identified as part of its work plan the necessity to more accurately capture such data, as this information is not readily available,” Ms Faulkner stated.
Ms Faulkner said the forum is working on a plan for 2012 to attract more people to the county and this is likely to include “a greater presence at trade fairs and international and national events, so people are aware of it. We want to work with Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland in promoting the county and making our voice heard. We plan to help businesses throughout the county so they know they can contact us and we will do what we can to help them out and get the website to work for them.”
Tourist numbers in Clare for early 2012 are “not bad” she noted.
“I would say tourism is up in general throughout the county. The home market has been very good to us. The staycation seems to be working. People are taking short breaks in the county because people here have been working hard to bring them in, to put things on, having different festivals and different competitions. These are a great draw.
“Recently, we had the Russell Weekend in Doolin and that attracts a lot of people. The drama festival in Doonbeg attracts a lot of people. There is a lot happening around the county that brings people in,” Ms Faulkner commented.
Ms Faulkner works in marketing at Aillwee Cave and was appointed chairperson of the Clare Tourism Forum late last year. She believes the forum fulfils a unique role.
“Shannon Development has a remit for the region, whereas the forum can concentrate solely on promoting the county and all the tourism entities in there. It is a good voice for the people in the county. There are representatives from every side of the county, so people in the tourist industry can go to those representatives on the working group and feel they have a strong voice. I would think one of the main differences between the forum and other organisations is that it is ground up,” she outlined.
The forum and people and businesses in the county can do more to attract greater numbers to Clare.
“It is a work in progress. One of the aims of the forum is to unite people, bring them together and get them networking so that everyone can feel like they can take ownership of the tourism product, which is very important,” she commented.
Everyone in the county has a part to play in increasing tourist numbers, according to the Doolin resident.
“One of the main messages from the forum is to get that fáilte back out there. When people come to the county, make them feel welcome, talk to them, so when people leave they are going away with the message that ‘they are very friendly down there in Clare, it is the place to go. They have it all. They have the attractions, they have the beautiful scenery, they have the welcome. They have it all there, why go anywhere else?’” she concluded.