No Frontiers boost for North Clare tourism

IN a major TV coup, North Clare and the Aran Islands will feature on the popular RTÉ One TV travel show No Frontiers at 7.30pm this Sunday. Watched by over half a million viewers from all over Ireland, this will be the second time in three series that North Clare has featured on the programme.

Shannon Development worked with the series producer Gerald Heffernan and his team on ideas for the feature and assisted them during the filming, which award-winning journalist, travel writer and author Pól O’Cónghaile will present.
“We were delighted to work with the producers to secure this exciting promotional opportunity for North Clare. The programme will be a great boost for the North Clare tourism product, exposing it to a national TV audience. The benefit of this kind of TV coverage, broadcast at peak viewing time, is incalculable and we are confident that it will boost visitor numbers to the area,” says, Pat Daly, tourism and marketing division manager, Shannon Development.
Mr Daly believes that while it is difficult to quantify the value of this sort of promotion for the area, it has a significant impact that is felt for a number of years.
In 2007, well-known author and columnist Fiona Looney took a family holiday to North Clare, which included a visit to the Cliffs of Moher, Ennistymon and included surfing at Lahinch and traditional music in Doolin. More than half a million people watched that programme and “a significant amount of interest in County Clare as a tourist destination would have been generated as a result”.
According to Mr Daly, the area is particularly suited to tourism and this sort of travel feature because of the huge variety in natural and manmade visitor attractions.
“Another influencing factor would be the superb range of action-packed activities available in one county, from great surfing and wonderful golfing, to magical cycling and breathtaking walking trails in diverse landscapes. Of course, the warm Clare welcome would be another important factor. Also in the mix would be the good working relationship Shannon Development has built up over the years with Frontier Films, who have produced the programme. We keep them updated regularly about new attractions and are constantly pitching ideas to them,” he explained.
Among the North Clare tourism attractions and properties to be featured are Hyland’s Burren Hotel and Gregan’s Castle Hotel, the Aillwee Caves, the village of Ballyvaughan and O’Lochlain’s pub. Caherconnell Stone Fort is also featured.
The Burren region as a paradise for walking holiday will be highlighted, with specialist walking tour operator Tony Kirby from Heart of Burren Walks. The programme will also feature a segment on a ferry trip to and from Doolin to the Aran Islands and includes footage of life on Inis Mór.
No Frontiers can be viewed on the RTÉ website and also gets two airings on TV, as it is repeated.