Know what’s ’appening in Ennis

ENNIS will be, quite literally, put on the ‘app’ next month. The county capital is set to become one of the first towns in Ireland to have its very own mobile app as part of moves by Promote Ennis to boost tourism and business.

 

Promote Ennis chairman and president of Ennis Chamber, Brian O’Neill, revealed, “The app is currently being worked on by local company Acton BV and it will operate as a multi-functional shopping and visitor directory. We are trying to give people something useful and it will be launched in November. This will be for the benefit of the town and will help improve the visibility of the town.”

The app will operate on both Apple and Android devices. In the coming weeks local businesses will be contacted about how to get involved with the initiative. Listings on the app will be free initially, with a review later and there will be different levels catering for the needs of individual businesses.

“One feature of the app, which is particularly exciting, will be a ‘what’s on’ section. For example, if a pub or a venue is listed on the app, we will have updated information on events taking place there, like what bands are playing. This will be useful not just for tourists from outside Clare planning on coming to Ennis but also for people living here and around Clare, who are just coming in for an evening. They will be able to find out exactly what’s going on in the town,” he said.

“I’m urging the people of Ennis to get behind this initiative and leverage as much benefit as we can by being one of the first town’s in Ireland to have a mobile app.”

A website, www.ennisapp.ie, has been set up where businesses can get more information on how to get involved.

This isn’t the only high-tech initiative being set in motion by Promote Ennis, a local community initiative in partnership with Ennis Chamber, Ennis Town Council and Shannon Development. The Visit Ennis website is currently being upgraded and will be re-launched at the end of next month.

“The new website will be very modern and will be constantly updated. Also, it will be kept to the top of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) lists so that when people search on the internet, they will be able to find exactly what they’re looking for.”

Local businesses got their first chance to hear about the app at the FBD Clare Business Excellence Awards and president’s dinner. At the ceremony Mr O’Neill, as president of Ennis Chamber, outlined how the finalists are an inspiration. He paid tribute to the members of the Ennis business community whose businesses have been “decimated and destroyed” by the recession.

He insisted, “They will endure. They have contributed much in the past and they will come back to place an important role in our eventual recovery. I want to assure them that Ennis Chamber is working hard to create the environment and supports for this to happen.”