The East Clare hinterland of Lough Derg should be vigorously promoted as a leisure destination as part of a national drive to attract more tourists, Clare Fine Gael General Election Candidate Cllr. Tony Mulcahy has stated.
He said the initiative could also help with efforts to encourage more airline services through Shannon Airport, particularly from Continental Europe.
According to Cllr. Mulcahy: “Lough Derg is one of the country’s major natural resources, offering great potential for water-based leisure pursuits and complementary land-based activity holidays. East Clare communities in the vicinity of the lake such as Killaloe, Mountshannon, Clonlara, O’Brien’s Bridge and Scarriff are in prime position to capitalise on this potential”
The Mayor of Shannon and former Mayor of Clare noted that international tourists are increasingly seeking out emerging destinations that offer good activity-based holidays in rural settings that are close to nature and which involve close contact with local people.
“East Clare is a perfect example of what they’re looking for in a destination, with many fine tourism enterprises already in existence. Fine Gael, if elected to Government on Feb. 25, intends to strongly support and encourage the promotion of such destinations in a drive to create jobs and generate economic activity,” the Shannon-based councillor said.
Reiterating that Fine Gael will also abolish the €3 airport travel tax at Shannon and other airports, Mr Mulcahy explained that there is an urgent need to develop new airline services from Continental Europe to Shannon.
“Visitors from the Continent are particularly keen on the kind of activities and features that East Clare and Lough Derg have to offer, such as boating and other water sports, angling, walking, cycling, wildlife and a network of small attractive lakeside centres. If a concerted effort is made by all interests, ranging from the trade and local communities to the relevant state agencies, to put together attractive holiday packages, it could help to create sufficient customer demand for new airline services between mainland Europe and Shannon,” Cllr. Mulcahy concluded.
He said the initiative could also help with efforts to encourage more airline services through Shannon Airport, particularly from Continental Europe.
According to Cllr. Mulcahy: “Lough Derg is one of the country’s major natural resources, offering great potential for water-based leisure pursuits and complementary land-based activity holidays. East Clare communities in the vicinity of the lake such as Killaloe, Mountshannon, Clonlara, O’Brien’s Bridge and Scarriff are in prime position to capitalise on this potential”
The Mayor of Shannon and former Mayor of Clare noted that international tourists are increasingly seeking out emerging destinations that offer good activity-based holidays in rural settings that are close to nature and which involve close contact with local people.
“East Clare is a perfect example of what they’re looking for in a destination, with many fine tourism enterprises already in existence. Fine Gael, if elected to Government on Feb. 25, intends to strongly support and encourage the promotion of such destinations in a drive to create jobs and generate economic activity,” the Shannon-based councillor said.
Reiterating that Fine Gael will also abolish the €3 airport travel tax at Shannon and other airports, Mr Mulcahy explained that there is an urgent need to develop new airline services from Continental Europe to Shannon.
“Visitors from the Continent are particularly keen on the kind of activities and features that East Clare and Lough Derg have to offer, such as boating and other water sports, angling, walking, cycling, wildlife and a network of small attractive lakeside centres. If a concerted effort is made by all interests, ranging from the trade and local communities to the relevant state agencies, to put together attractive holiday packages, it could help to create sufficient customer demand for new airline services between mainland Europe and Shannon,” Cllr. Mulcahy concluded.
