Tourism group at holiday show

The committee representing tourism interests in the Loop Head peninsula will man a stand at the Holiday World Show in the RDS, Dublin, from January 28 to January 30.

The group won a European Destination of Excellence (EDEN) award in aquatic tourism last year.
Loop Head will showcase alongside Ireland’s other four destinations of excellence – Clonakilty, Sheep’s Head Way, (Cork) and the Carlingford and Cooley Peninsulas in Louth. All four groups will be located at the Discover Ireland stand. The EDEN network will also participate in the co-promotion of the event with Fáilte Ireland and the Holiday World Show. This will include a 30-minute slot on Eoin Corry’s Travel Clinic at The Holiday Show and involvement in a national press campaign, undertaken in the run-up to the show, where the EDEN destinations will offer one or two holidays as a prize for a competition linked to the campaign.
“Our local providers have given full support and we are in a position to offer a two-night break including a trip with Dolphinwatch, Carrigaholt,” Loop Head Tourism chairperson, Cillian Murphy said.
“I am delighted that the network has secured this position as ultimately the area, and county, will benefit substantially by this level of exposure,” he added.
“The group marketing that the Irish and European EDEN Network is involved in is similar to the activity at local level on the peninsula. Basically, you can achieve much more as a group than is possible on your own. Resources are better utilised and valuable opportunities are accessed easier as a network,” Mr Murphy added.
Sixty countries and over 1,000 travel advisors attend the event that attracts approximately 250,000 visitors over the three days. West Clare will have a strong presence, with Kilrush Town Council also taking a stand at the Dublin show this year.
The Loop Head peninsula will also be represented at the next European-wide EDEN meeting in Mellieha, Malta, in April. This will be hosted by the Maltese prime minister, Dr Lawrence Gonzi.
For further information, visit www.loophead.ie

Lighthouse development on the agenda
Loop Head Tourism hosted a meeting of people interested in the development of tourism on the peninsula in the Stella Maris Hotel, Kilkee, last Thursday.
The agenda included a discussion on the future strategy of tourism development on the Loop Head peninsula.
“This was in response to concerns that the tourism providers in the peninsula felt we needed to reaffirm our commitment to the development of our tourism product in a responsible and sustainable manner and that Loop Head Tourism would receive a mandate to ­negotiate with the relevant authorities to this end,” Loop Head Tourism chairman Cillian Murphy explained.
Loop Head Tourism has been included as a lead agency in the future development of Loop Head Lighthouse, along with Shannon Development and Clare County Council.
“This is a very exciting development and we are ­delighted with the ­commitment from both State agencies to provide badly needed resources to improve tourist facilities on the peninsula.
A discussion document on a proposed future development in the lighthouse has been prepared for Clare County Council and Shannon Development by Scott Wilson and Loop Head Tourism reviewed this document at the meeting.
“There was general agreement with a number of the proposals contained in the document.
“As expected, a number of issues arose and possible solutions were explored and we look forward to working with both agencies to bring this exciting proposal to ­fruition as soon as possible,” Mr Murphy concluded.