Major Drive to Bring European Tourists to West and North West Regions

The Western Development Commission (WDC) and regional Local Authorities are partnering with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland on establishing the most significant international tourism marketing campaign ever for the Western Region. Taking place across Germany, France, Italy and England, the campaign aims to capitalise on the recently announced new air routes into Ireland West Airport Knock. The move is expected to provide a considerable boost to tourism businesses in the West and North West by bringing international tourists directly into the area.

Announced by Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Mr Michael Ring T.D., the marketing drive will see extensive promotion of the region in four of Ireland’s most important international tourism markets.

Minister Ring said that the Western Region Tourism Marketing Programme is a “new initiative in response to the government’s commitment towards increasing the number of tourists coming to Ireland and improving their experience of Ireland and its regions during their stay”. He commended the WDC, the participating Local Authorities, and Ireland West Airport Knock for their innovative approach in setting up the Marketing Programme which he said will bring a welcome boost to tourism in the West and North West Regions. He also thanked Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland for their support for the initiative thus far, and he indicated that he expected to make a further announcement on funding support for the project in early April, following a meeting of the Fáilte Ireland Authority. “This programme is about maximising new and innovative service delivery channels, driving better value for money and leading, organising and working in new ways – all part of the government’s reform agenda and all part of creating employment in these challenging times”, he said.

“Direct air access drives enterprise and tourism and the WDC has long supported a policy of direct international access to and from the Western Region. The WDC is delighted to play such a central role in coordinating the marketing drive with the Local Authorities, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland,” said Helen Rochford Brennan, Chair of the WDC.

Ian Brannigan WDC Acting CEO said the campaign will increase awareness of both the west coast and the lake land counties of Leitrim and Roscommon as attractive holiday destinations among millions of people in key European and English cities including Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Paris, Milan, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Manchester and Leeds. “Potential tourists across Europe will learn what we in the West and North West have always known; the West of Ireland has an excellent tourism product. This is a tremendous opportunity to showcase our stunning scenery, fantastic accommodation, the wide range of things to see and do, as well as the genuine welcome and great hospitality”, he added.

“This is great news for tourism in the West and the region will surely benefit from such joined-up thinking. New direct access routes and this campaign will help the West fight for a bigger slice of the overseas pie and bring much needed visitors, revenue and jobs into the area”, said Fiona Monaghan of Fáilte Ireland in the West.

Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland, said: “Working closely with airlines and airports to drive tourism into the West is a key priority for Tourism Ireland and we are delighted to bring our overseas marketing experience to the initiative and to collaborate with all the partners. The new marketing programme will undoubtedly help drive demand for services to Ireland West Airport Knock. It comes on top of a series of cooperative campaigns which Tourism Ireland and its airline partners are already rolling out in GB, Germany, France, Italy and Spain to promote new and existing services and boost tourism to the West of Ireland.”

Attending the announcement the Mayors and County Managers of the contributing Local Authorities warmly welcomed the Minister’s support for this marketing drive which will help unlock the region’s enormous tourism potential. It is collaborative approaches such as this one involving the Local Authorities, the WDC, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland that will deliver real benefit and jobs for the region and will provide a model for regional marketing and promotion into the future. By pooling resources and budgets the West and North West Region can have much greater impact overseas by telling the story directly to tourists of what the region has to offer.

The campaign has been coordinated by the WDC in association with Donegal, Sligo, Mayo, Roscommon and Leitrim County Councils and Ireland West Airport Knock. The programme will see additional promotional activities for the region rolled out in the overseas markets. Using radio, print and online advertising as well as direct mail promotions and radio competitions, the campaign aims to highlight outdoor and adventure activities in the West and North West Region as well as showcasing the region’s wealth of heritage and culture.

Ends

For further information please contact:
Joanne Grehan, Western Development Commission, 086 856 5802
or
Bernadette Mullarkey, Bane Mullarkey, 086 806 2540

Taoiseach Enda Kenny at Western Development Commission reception  and launch of RE:CONNECT Western Regional Business Network at Irish Embassy, London 12th January 2012.

New Network to Create International Business Opportunities for West of Ireland Businesses

The Western Development Commission (WDC) and six local authorities in the western region have established a new business network to facilitate growth for businesses in the region. RE:CONNECT Western Regional Business Network will help foster contacts between businesses in the west of Ireland and individuals and businesses abroad. The network was launched at the Irish embassy in London by An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, T.D., on Thursday, January 12th.

In his address the Taoiseach said the network was a pioneer and leader in what it sets out to do. He commended the WDC and the six local authorities on the initiative and said that such collaboration at a regional level was the way to move forward. The Taoiseach told the 220 attendees at the launch, which was hosted by the Irish ambassador to the UK Bobby McDonagh, that there is a bright future for Ireland and he restated the government objective of making Ireland the best small country in the world in which to do business by 2016.

Helen Rochford-Brennan, Chair of the WDC said that the main objective of RE:CONNECT Western Regional Business Network is to promote and develop links between businesses in the western region and businesses in the UK that are owned or managed by people from the region. “There are significant opportunities for investment and growing business and by creating this new network we hope to exploit those opportunities,” she said.

Ian Brannigan, Acting Chief Executive of the WDC said: “We foresee a wide variety of new contacts and links as a result of the network. For example, a west of Ireland business with ambitious export plans makes contact with a London business owner originally from the region. The London business could themselves become a customer, make an introduction to another customer or simply share their knowledge and experience of the UK market. This type of contact could be invaluable to the small business owner.”

Mr Brannigan said that regardless of their location, RE:CONNECT would offer businesses in the west the opportunity to position themselves for growth by taking advantage of commercial opportunities through new relationships and social networks.

RE:CONNECT Western Regional Business Network will facilitate businesses at the larger end of the scale as well as the many small and medium sized enterprises, especially those in the creative, ICT, financial services, manufacturing and food sectors, who are competing in the global market. Supported by six local authorities in the region (Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon and Galway) the network will be hosted by the WDC’s LookWest.ie platform, which promotes the western region as an attractive location for enterprise and investment. Since its establishment, the award winning LookWest.ie has attracted over 1 million visits and is the ideal channel to facilitate communication between Ireland’s diaspora and the region.

The origins of RE:CONNECT stem from collaboration between the Sligo Business Network in London and the WDC over the past two years. The initiative is also in line with recommendations of the Second Global Irish Economic Forum Report to strengthen connections with the Irish Diaspora.

“We decided to start the network in London for a number of reasons, namely; the UK is Ireland’s closest and largest trading partner, there are existing county structures and contacts in London with whom we have built up strong relationships, excellent air access directly into the region and numerous examples of influential and successful people and businesses who have a link with the west of Ireland. We also plan to roll out the concept in other major cities worldwide in the future,” Joanne Grehan of the WDC said.

A new section of the LookWest.ie website will act as the virtual hub of RE:CONNECT (www.lookwest.ie/reconnect ). A number of events where people can meet and do business face to face will also be hosted throughout the year with an event in the west in 2013 to coincide with “The Gathering” project.

“Ensuring that key influencers can engage in positive dialogue and commercial activity will contribute to delivering renewed economic growth in the West of Ireland, and the WDC is confident that RE:CONNECT Western Regional Business Network can play an important role in that. We strongly encourage businesses in the west to get involved by joining the network at www.lookwest.ie/reconnect  or at http://linkd.in/LookWestREConnect ,” Ms Grehan concluded. Joanne Grehan, RE:CONNECT Network Manager can be contacted at joannegrehan@wdc.ie  or 094 986 1441 for further information.

Ends

For further information please contact:

Joanne Grehan, Western Development Commission, 086 856 5802
or
Angela Bane, Bane Mullarkey, 087 286 5217

The Western Development Commission (WDC) has welcomed the announcement by Emerald Networks and Pipiper Infrastructure of their intention to effectively upgrade commercial broadband capability in the west of Ireland to world class status. It says that that the project should make the region more attractive as a location for data centres as well as providing opportunities for businesses throughout the west of Ireland. The US$300m project will involve a transatlantic sub sea data cable between New York and Ireland that will come ashore at Belmullet in county Mayo.

Ian Branigan, WDC acting chief executive said: “The announcement by Pipiper Infrastructure of its intention to grow this high speed commercial fibre capability through the western region by 2013 will offer locations in the region unprecedented ability to develop and attract industries associated with high speed data transfer, including data management, storage, and gaming and online sports.”

As well as the proposed direct employment opportunities offered, the development will place the West of Ireland to the forefront of locations for international data storage and associated industry investments, and according to WDC Chair, Helen Rochford-Brennan: “the development represents one of the most promising growth opportunities for the region in recent years”.

The WDC recognises the critical importance of high quality broadband infrastructure in supporting regional growth and the knowledge economy.

Various reports and submissions prepared by the WDC have highlighted the importance of connectivity and the need for resilient fibre networks to support the delivery of high speed broadband services. High fibre bandwidth capacity is even more critical to support cloud computing as well as next generation networks and the ever-increasing range of online activities.

Mr Branigan said that the announcement is a significant boost to the dark fibre network in the western region and positions the region favourably to attract more broadband intensive businesses. “Before this, Dublin has been the main location for such facilities due to their better connectivity. In 2013, the west of Ireland will be home to one of the fastest networks crossing the Atlantic, bringing significant benefits to the region,” he concluded.

Ends

For further information please contact:
Ian Branigan, Western Development Commission, 086 604 8012
or
Angela Bane, Bane Mullarkey, 087 286 5217

The Western Development Commission (WDC) welcomes the announcement today that Ryanair will commence four new international flights from Ireland West Airport Knock.  The new schedules will start in April 2012 between Ireland West Airport Knock and Barcelona, Frankfurt, Milan and Paris resulting in a total of 14 Ryanair routes from the West of Ireland airport.   Collectively, the flights are expected to deliver over 500,000 passengers, will sustain more than 500 jobs in Ireland West Airport Knock next summer and will provide a significant boost to tourism and general business across the entire Western Region.

Speaking about today’s announcement, Helen Rochford Brennan, Chair of the Western Development Commission said, “This is great news for the Western Region. The WDC has continually advocated for increased international air access into the west and today marks a very significant milestone in achieving that goal. Air is the preferred form of travel for most tourists, particularly for tourism to islands and long haul destinations. Air access is especially relevant in the case of the short-break market where the travel time needs to be minimised. In the Western Region, tourism is economically very important, employing nearly one in five (19.2% or 23,700 people) of those working in the accommodation and food services sector in Ireland. If the Region is to capitalise on key international markets then effective international access is critical.”

Earlier this year, a WDC Policy Briefing showed that transport infrastructure is one of the most important factors in stimulating economic growth enabling more efficient movement of goods, people and services.  The policy briefing states that regional airports play an important role in providing direct international linkages, supporting balanced regional development and stimulating economic growth; without international air connections, tourism and companies based in the Western Region are at a competitive disadvantage.   The accessibility of the Western Region has already suffered a number of blows this year with the discontinuation of direct flights from West of Ireland airports to Dublin.  The introduction of these new international flights is therefore timely and they will facilitate access to new markets and new opportunities for a range of sectors throughout the Region.

Ian Brannigan, Acting Chief Executive of the WDC said. “Today’s announcement offers real opportunities to develop the untapped tourism potential of the Western Region. The WDC, through its Lookwest.ie initiative will work with all interested stakeholders in the Region to ensure that the full potential of today’s announcement is maximised and that we will continue to grow international tourism into the Region. Historically, relatively poor direct international air access was a factor in the weakness of the tourism sector in the North West and parts of the West. The growth in popularity of short-break tourism, coupled with the inaccessibility of the Region compared to other regions made it difficult to compete in this market. The direct international air services into the Western Region announced today will support enterprise and tourism development into the future and we would urge companies from all sectors throughout the Region to make use of the new services in order to safeguard their longevity”.

To celebrate these four new Ireland West Airport Knock routes, Ryanair has made available 1 million seats for travel across Europe in January with prices starting at €14.99.  These seats are available for booking on www.ryanair.com.

For further information please contact:
Paul Keyes, Western Development Commission, 094-98-61441 or 086-6048014
or
Bernadette Mullarkey, Bane Mullarkey, 086 806 2540

Notes to editors on the Western Development Commission (WDC)

RASLRES – WOOD ENERGY WORKSHOP
ÁRD RÍ HOTEL, TUAM, CO. GALWAY

15TH NOVEMBER, 2011

Earlier today, as part of the Western Development Commission (WDC) RASLRES Wood Energy Workshop in Tuam, with partners Teagasc and the County Clare Wood Energy Project launched their Wood Energy Guide “Using local timber to heat your home”. This brochure is an ‘all you need to know guide’ for end users in considering locally produced timber as a renewable energy resource for their homes and businesses. It provides practical information for home owners and small scale businesses on;

•  boiler types and sourcing suitable appliances
•  types of fuel available and
•  practical tips for wood storage

It includes checklists for buying firewood and appliances intended for use when making investment decisions for small scale installations.

The brochure is the result of a continuing partnership between RASLRES, Teagasc and the County Clare Wood Energy Project in their continued development of renewable wood energy in the western region.

Over 80 people attended today’s RASLRES workshop, from public sector heat users, installation companies and fuel suppliers to local development players, showing the developing demand for renewable wood energy in the west. The workshop created active engagement on how local action can drive the growth of wood energy supply chains in the region.

The workshop brought together experts in the wood energy field to provide information and learning to those who have an interest in being part of the wood energy community. It highlighted the lessons learned from the RASLRES project and the experiences of Teagasc, Department of Education and Donegal County Council in their development of wood energy solutions.

Speaking earlier today at the event Mary Hoade WDC board member stated, “We are delighted with the interest shown from across the region in today’s event and welcome the participation and involvement of local authorities, national agencies and those at local level who are interested in developing renewable energy solutions”.

Bernadette Phelan, Development Executive at the WDC commented, “Engagement from the sector in today’s event and through the case studies highlighted during the workshop, enables the industry to understand the issues and challenges which have the potential to impact sectoral growth”.

“The outputs from today’s event present an opportunity for the WDC to further develop meaningful supports, through the RASLRES project, to respond effectively to market need and continue growth in the sector for the Western Region. This helps us achieve the RALRES aim of doubling the wood heat energy sector. We look forward to working closely with our industry partners to further our success to date in building sustainable models for renewable energy”. Ms Phelan concluded.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Contact Bernadette Phelan at 086 8340279 or by email at bernadettephelan@wdc.ie

ABOUT RASLRES

RASLRES is a European bio-energy project led by the Western Development Commission. RASLRES goes to the heart of the local community by using local resources and local people to provide a complete solution for renewable energy in turn providing jobs and opportunities for our communities. This ground-breaking initiative has already delivered 7 pilot projects in the west from Donegal to Clare which provide the starting point for development of a sustainable wood energy supply chain delivered within the local region.

For additional information on the RASLRES Project visit www.raslres.eu