Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs

04.07.08 All-island cooperation on inland waterways projects in the lakelands-Ó Cuív and Campbell

At the North-South Ministerial Council Meeting today, Waterways Ireland updated Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Éamon Ó Cuív TD and Northern Ireland Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure, Gregory Campbell MP MLA on the progress being made on the Lakelands and Inland Waterways Initiative.

• The initiative, co-chaired by Waterways Ireland and Fáilte Ireland and with cross border membership from Fermanagh Lakelands Tourism, Northern Ireland Tourism Board, Shannon Development and Tourism Ireland, aims to create awareness of Ireland’s lakelands as a tourist destination, promoting trade buy and participation and focusing on developing a quality tourism product with the lakelands and inland waterways at the heart of the tourism offering. The initiative covers a 30 mile corridor either side of the waterways which extend from Beleek to Limerick.
   
  An annual marketing budget of some €700,000 has been made available for a number of marketing initiatives including:
   
  Development of an awareness-creation brochure based on the lakelands;
• Development of a dedicated website linked directly from the WI site and the Discover-Ireland site;
• Development of a DVD;
• PR, Press and product give-aways; and
• TV and Billboard ad campaign.
   
  Waterways Ireland makes a contribution of €300,000 to the project per annum with the balance being provided by Fáilte Ireland and Shannon Development.
   
  The Lakelands and Inland Waterways initiative, having undertaken a number of Marketing drives to raise awareness of the destination has now begun to focus on the development of the tourism products, tourism initiatives and recreational projects in the lakelands area. A major signage programme is being undertaken by Waterways Ireland with a suite of signage being rolled out for the various Lakeland and waterway facilities. Work is progressing on a major study of the products available in the lakelands area and on lacunae and gaps in product provision. This study will feed into the various development plans of the tourism agencies, Waterways Ireland and the Local Authorities. 
   
  The benefits to the waterways of this new departure are many with for the first time all the various state agencies responsible for tourism and product development coming together and marketing the waterways as a single entity. Economies of scale through the pooling of resources and the elimination of duplication of initiatives are also of major benefit.