Fáilte Ireland’s Authority held its May meeting at The Sheraton Hotel in Athlone.
The Authority used the opportunity to meet with tourism businesses working on the ground across Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands and to experience local tourist attractions.
Launched to the public by Fáilte Ireland in April of 2018, the Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands brand supports the development of tourism across the Midlands region.
Positive Impact
As part of the meeting, local tourism providers were given the opportunity talk to the Authority about the impact that the Hidden Heartlands brand is having on their business in terms of revenue and visitor numbers.
All speakers reported that the brand has had a positive impact on their businesses over the past 12 months. They also said that Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands provides solid opportunities for their businesses to increase the level of cross-promotion and cross-selling between each other under a common brand. As a result, they projected significant revenue growth and higher visitor numbers over the next three years.
"Extremely Pleased"
Fáilte Ireland chairman Michael Cawley stated, "I am extremely pleased to see that the Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands brand has proved to be a positive development for this region since its launch 12 months ago. As the Authority of Fáilte Ireland, we wanted to visit Athlone to hear first-hand from tourism businesses working on the ground in the region. One year on, it is already clear that tourism has grown here, so there is significant potential to maximise the brand well into the future across the region to boost revenue, grow visitor numbers and create sustainable local jobs."
© 2019 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
