Fáilte Ireland has launched a new five-year plan that will help drive and sustain tourism in Cork City, Harbour and East Cork at Blackrock Castle Observatory, Co. Cork.
The Cork City, Harbour and East Cork Destination and Experience Development Plan (DEDP) aims to create a sustainable tourism destination by extending the tourism season and spreading business across all parts of the region over the next five years.
Key stakeholders in the area were consulted and contributed to the plan including Cork City Council, Cork County Council, Local Tourism Industry, Port of Cork, Cork Airport, Chambers of Commerce, Leader, Local Economic Groups as well as local Communities.
The development of the five-year plan provides a shared vision and clear direction towards improved development, strengthening the promotion of the area’s unique features by growing the destination’s market share through the delivery of priority projects and hero experiences that seek to maximise the key strengths of the area.
The plan provides the strategic framework to prioritise tourism development projects that will attract more visitors to the region and encourage them to stay longer. This includes the development of a visitor attraction of scale for Cork City and enhancing the harbour’s accessibility to create a sustainable visitor amenity that connects communities to the City. It also suggests leveraging the county’s rich food provenance to position it as a world-class gastronomy destination.
Speaking at the launch, CEO of Fáilte Ireland, Paul Kelly said:
“This five-year Destination and Experience Development Plan captures the unique themes that are central to Cork City, Harbour and East Cork and features key priority projects which will transform the tourism offering across the region. The development of a new Attraction of Scale, creating a World Class Harbour Experience as well as positioning the Cork Food Story as an inherent part of the visitor offering will strengthen Cork’s position as an internationally compelling destination in Ireland’s Ancient East.
“Fáilte Ireland is committed to and focused on the sustainable development of tourism across Ireland which is an important economic driver and source of employment. We are confident that this DEDP has the potential to significantly increase Cork City, Harbour and East Cork’s domestic and international appeal, and grow the visitor economy to create sustainable, high-quality jobs in the sector that will serve to support and strengthen local communities.”
Cork City, Harbour and East Cork DEDP Co Chairs Aileen Murray and Derry Cronin said:
“We look forward to the roll out of this ambitious 5-year plan for Cork City, Harbour, and our East Cork Towns with a great sense of confidence. This plan sets out the actions, priorities and future investment for the area, by focusing on increasing the value of tourism, growing the appeal of the destination and increasing visitor spend. The actions within this plan will ultimately strengthen the local communities living in these areas. As Co-Chairs we are delighted to work alongside a committed cross section of industry leaders in the execution of this plan. Together with representatives of the tourism and hospitality sector, local authorities, and Fáilte Ireland we will do so in a collaborative way, to ensure the long-term sustainability of Cork as a leading international destination experience.”
The Cork City, Harbour and East Cork Development Plan has been developed through a collaborative approach and will be dependent on local tourism businesses, stakeholders and local communities working with Fáilte Ireland to implement this plan over next five years. Read the full Cork City, Harbour and East Cork Destination and Experience Development Plan here Failte Ireland – Cork City, Harbour and East Cork Destination and Experience Development Plan.
