Fáilte Ireland on Thursday 7 April hosted "Developing the Kilkenny Destination and Visitor Experience", an international tourism conference at Kilkenny's River Court Hotel to discuss the future vision of tourism for the county.
Details
This conference was the next step in creating a new five-year sustainable Kilkenny Destination and Experience Development Plan (DEDP) for Kilkenny City and County.
International tourism destination experts Professor Terry Stevens (Stevens & Associates), Dr Nagore Uresandi Espinosa (CEO In2Destination, Bilbao) and Mark O'Connell (Repucon Consulting) shared insights into what destinations like Kilkenny can do to establish themselves as a world class tourist destination.
Fáilte Ireland also addressed conference attendees on its strategy to further develop the region.
Speakers at the event included:
- Paul Keeley, Director Regional Development, Fáilte Ireland
- Colette Byrne, CEO Kilkenny County Council
- Miriam Kennedy, Head of Wild Atlantic Way, Fáilte Ireland
- Professor Terry Stevens - Stevens & Associates
- Dr Nagore Uresandi Espinosa - CEO In2Destination, Bilbao.
- Mark O'Connell - Repucon Consulting
Statement By Head of Ireland's Ancient East at Fáilte Ireland
Speaking at the event, Brian O'Flynn, head of Ireland's Ancient East at Fáilte Ireland, said, "Kilkenny is an important part of Ireland's Ancient East and has a huge potential to attract domestic and international visitors. Today's conference is a chance for local tourism stakeholders to learn from international tourism experts, and use those learnings to collaborate with Fáilte Ireland, Kilkenny County Council, and the wider tourism industry to further develop Kilkenny as a world-class tourist destination. The Kilkenny Destination Experience Development Plan, which is currently in consultation with industry, will outline a strategic five-year framework for development of tourism in Kilkenny within Ireland's Ancient East."
Statement By Kilkenny County Council Chief Executive
Colette Byrne, chief Executive of Kilkenny County Council, added, "Kilkenny County Council is delighted to be working with Fáilte Ireland to commence the consultation for the Kilkenny Destination Experience Development Plan to build on the strengths of Kilkenny as a key tourism destination. Today's international conference is a fantastic opportunity for the Kilkenny tourism industry to learn from and be inspired by international experts with the view to further developing a sustainable plan for tourism in the county."
© 2022 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
