Minister for Tourism, Catherine Martin and Minister for the Economy of Northern Ireland, Conor Murphy, have announced a new funding call from Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Northern Ireland and Tourism Ireland, to enhance interpretation at existing operating visitor attractions and experiences along the north of the Wild Atlantic Way and along the Causeway Coastal Route.
The Coast-to-Coast Capital Investment Scheme, part of the Shared Island Tourism Brand Collaboration Project, aims to encourage visitors to explore both tourist routes by improving the storytelling and immersive experience capabilities on offer in existing visitor attractions and experiences.
The Scheme will be open for applications from Donegal, Sligo and parts of Leitrim on the Wild Atlantic Way, and the local authority areas of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council along the Causeway Coastal Route.
Qualifying Criteria
The maximum investment grant value available is €300,000 in Ireland, or £250,000 in Northern Ireland for any one project under this scheme. The minimum investment grant value is €50,000 in Ireland and £40,000 for Northern Ireland.
Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland will assess Expression of Interest Forms to determine the applicant’s and the proposed project’s eligibility in accordance with the Scheme’s qualifying criteria.
'Economic Benefits'
"Encouraging visitors to explore both routes will help distribute visitor levels to the northern half of the island and further spread the economic benefits of tourism," said Paul Keeley, director of regional development at Fáilte Ireland.
"Fáilte Ireland looks forward to working with Local Authorities in Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim, Tourism Ireland, Tourism Northern Ireland and relevant stakeholders in Northern Ireland in delivering this project and developing world-class visitor experiences that will appeal to both domestic and international tourists.”
