Plan to create new tourism company
Seamus Enright
Almost 25-years to the date after a similar initiative was wound down, the council is considering a proposal to establish a new ‘tourism company’ which would concentrate solely on promoting Cavan to visitors.
Contained within a set of almost 50 actions comprising the council’s new five-year Tourism Development Plan, it would mirror similar companies currently operating in other counties.
It’s envisaged the new Cavan Tourism Company would operate on a budget of at least €200,000, funding derived in part from the council’s own budget, as well as from sponsorship and advertising.
It comes almost a quarter of a century after the Cavan-Monaghan Tourism Promotions Company ceased its operations due to a perceived lack of support. The enterprise had a local office, a coordinator and tourist advisor.
At last Monday’s monthly council meeting, elected members backed the new plan, conceived by members of the county tourism office with assistance by consultancy firm, CHL.
Presenting the 2017-2022 plan to councillors, acting tourism officer Grainne O’Connor and Michael Counihan of CHL, outlined how the aim was to develop a countywide strategy capable of “galvanising” visitor prospects in the region.
With Brexit looming, the heavy reliance on the UK market was highlighted to the chamber, yet they still projected an increased future income from tourism by up to 20%.
Mr Counihan also pointed to Cavan’s promotional purgatory on a national tourism level - not on the Wild Atlantic Way, but shoehorned onto the periphery of Ireland’s Ancient East. He therefore said more should be made of the county’s positioning as a gateway location between both.
To the surprise of many in the chamber, the presentation highlighted where Cavan stood by comparison to other inland tourist destinations - fourth overall, behind Kilkenny, Kildare and Tipperary, and sixteenth nationally.
Tourism annually generates circa €168,000 for the local economy, with Cavan faring much better than both Meath and Fermanagh/Omagh, garnering an average visitor spend of €347 per person.
“Cavan holds its tourists, so it earns a significant whack from visitors,” Mr Counihan explained. He and Ms O’Connor proposed building on what the county already has, particularly in terms of natural resources and food, in further developing the overarching ‘This Is Cavan’ brand.
“The actions will help Cavan to meet its core aims of increasing visitor numbers,” he said, adding, “We need to make the best of what Cavan already has.”
Signs
An issue highlighted in the plan was the need for more signage countywide, a subject seized upon by several councillors including Peter McVitty, said that visitors to the Geopark did not know when they were entering or leaving the site.
“There’s nothing, absolutely nothing to tell them,” he observed.
Cllr McVitty added that there was nowhere for visitors to stop for “a cup of tea” between Ballyconnell and Blacklion. Ms O’Connor voiced the hope that once visitor numbers increased off the back of the plan, it would encourage a greater entrepreneurial spirit to meet those needs.
Council CEO Tommy Ryan welcomed the plan, noting Failte Ireland’s intention to develop a Lakeland tourism brand, which he acknowledged was more suited to Cavan’s geographical location.