New campaign to promote Cavan tourism

Cavan County Council, in conjunction with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, is embarking on a domestic advertising campaign promoting Cavan as an attractive tourism destination for holidaymakers across the country. Some €50,000 will be invested in national print and radio advertising over five weeks beginning on Monday, June 29. Cavan"s fishing, lakes, cruising, walks and cultural and heritage tourism will be emphasised, alongside hotel and accommodation deals. Star attractions such as the geopark in west Cavan and forthcoming events and attractions will also be plugged. There will also be holiday giveaways on Radio One, 2FM and Newstalk in the Republic and Downtown Radio in the North. The marketing campaign comes as Co. Cavan is experiencing a tourism boost, largely due to the good weather and more people choosing to holiday at home rather than abroad. Angling Joanne Hayes, the tourism officer for Co. Cavan, told the Anglo-Celt that booking are 'quite strong' for the self-catering sector. She conceded there had been a fear that the strength of the euro would deter English fisherman but thankfully the anglers are still coming and catching plenty of fish. Anglers still make up a large number of tourists to Cavan, accounting for about 37%, followed by general holiday makers at 27%. Word of mouth and big catches are helping to drive angling tourism, according to Ms Hayes. Also, the investment of some €1m by the county council in conjunction with the tourism agencies between 2007 and 2008 in improving access to and facilities at lakes and rivers in the county is paying dividends this year. Domestic tourism That said, the majority of visitors to the county are still domestic tourists, accounting for more than 35%. Their portion of the market share is expected to be significantly higher this year, according to Ms Hayes due to the economic downturn and the improved weather. According to the tourism officer, Cavan has always offered great value for money because it has had to compete with coastal counties in the north west, such as Donegal and Sligo. There is even greater value for money available now as hotels and B&Bs are offering seriously competitive rates across the country and the local market has responded to that. Ms Hayes adds that Cavan is second to no other rural county in terms of the number and quality of events and festivals throughout the year, citing the recent success of the June bank holiday weekend with the Killinkere Whit Jamboree festival, the Killeshandra Lakes festival and the county fleadh cheoil. The success of the Virginia Pumpkin Festival in securing Bell XI as a headline act over the October bank holiday weekend is another draw to the county, she says, as well as other forthcoming events such as Donovan Days, the Blacklion Fair, the Lady of the Erne Festival and various angling festivals. Economy And whether visitors are on a day trip or stopping over, accommodation, good food and good shopping are not a problem. According to Ms Hayes the quality of the hospital industry in Cavan is a key part of the overall tourism package for the county. There are currently 16 hotels, 47 B&Bs and 51 self-catering properties in Co. Cavan. 'Cavan has quite a strong accommodation base as far as inland counties are concerned,' said Ms Hayes. 'Cavan is the third best county after Donegal and Sligo in the north west, well ahead of Leitrim and Monaghan in terms of how much tourism is worth to the economy,' she added. The latest year for which detailed figures are available is 2007 (the 2008 figures are currently being compiled) and they show that some 100,000 overseas visitors were worth €35m to the economy in Co. Cavan. The value of the domestic market is estimated to at least match that figure for 2007. Remit While Ms Hayes and Cavan Tourism are responsible for promoting and developing tourism in Cavan on the domestic market, they co-operate with Bord Fáilte and Tourism Ireland in terms of promoting the county on the international market. Previously, Cavan and Monaghan were also marketed together abroad; now Cavan is grouped within the "lakelands" of Ireland, which for marketing purposes includes all of the counties that fall between the eastern and western seaboards of Ireland. Also, the attainment of geopark status in west Cavan, including the Marble Arch Caves, in January of this year is a valuable selling point for the county at home and abroad.