Clare tourism sector representatives will today conclude a 5-day promotion drive at Bloom in the Park 2013 in Dublin.
Billed as Ireland's largest gardening, food and family event, Bloom has already attracted more than 70,000 people to the Phoenix Park since it commenced on Thursday.
The Clare Tourism Forum and tourism interests from all over Clare are using the 6th annual festival to showcase the County to the growing domestic tourism market.
Over the weekend, Forum representatives were also presented with an opportunity to showcase their attractions and products to some well-known names including the President of Ireland Michael D Higgins, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine Simon Coveney TD, Fianna Fáil Leader Micheál Martin TD, and celebrity chefs Martin Shanahan and Neven Maguire.
There was also award success for County Clare when St. Tola Organic Goat Cheese was announced Supreme Champion 2013 for its ‘St. Tola Ash’ product. Director Siobhan Ní Ghairbhith accepted the Sheila Broderick Memorial Trophy on behalf of the Inagh-based company.
Amongst the other Clare operators hosting information stands at Bloom in the Park were the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience, Shannon Heritage, Burrenbeo, Luxury Yachting Lough Derg, Templegate Hotel, Loop Head Tourism, Burren College of Art and Ted Tours.
Donnagh Gregson, Chairperson of the Clare Tourism Forum noted: “Clare’s strong presence at the festival has sent out a very strong signal to those present that the County has a lot to offer to prospective tourists.”
“Clare tourism operators have responded well to the shift in visitor trends in recent years with a significant increase in the number of people holidaying at home. A huge amount of work is being carried out by operators, both individually and collectively, to market the County’s many wonderful attractions to the domestic market, as evidenced by Clare’s sizeable presence at Bloom in the Park. This collaborative approach adopted by operators to promoting Clare is key to maintaining the County as one of Ireland’ premier destinations and I look forward to such campaigns continuing in the future,” Ms. Gregson explained.
Meanwhile, Maureen Cleary, Marketing Executive, Clare Tourism Forum noted that the Clare tourism information stands generated significant interest at Bloom in the Park.
She continued: “We are confident that new business will be created as a result of our presence at Bloom in the Park and we look forward to joining our member organisations and other tourism interests in the County at similar events in the future. Bloom presented the local tourism sector with a valuable opportunity to promote the County as a whole, including the established and less known attractions. Clare is fortunate to have a rich and varied tourism product to offer to both domestic and international visitors alike, from the world famous karst landscape of the Burren to the unspoilt beauty of the Loop Head Peninsula and from the heritage town of Ennis to the scenic Lough Derg Region.”
Ms. Cleary added: “The development of walking routes and trails around Clare in recent years has generated significant interest amongst those attending Bloom in the Park. Loop Head was also the subject of interest following the Peninsula’s recent success in The Irish Times ‘Best Place to Holiday in Ireland’ contest.”
The Clare Tourism Forum was established in November 2005 with the objective of mobilising a collaborative strategy to sustain and develop tourism within the county.
For more visit www.clare.ie.
Billed as Ireland's largest gardening, food and family event, Bloom has already attracted more than 70,000 people to the Phoenix Park since it commenced on Thursday.
The Clare Tourism Forum and tourism interests from all over Clare are using the 6th annual festival to showcase the County to the growing domestic tourism market.
Over the weekend, Forum representatives were also presented with an opportunity to showcase their attractions and products to some well-known names including the President of Ireland Michael D Higgins, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine Simon Coveney TD, Fianna Fáil Leader Micheál Martin TD, and celebrity chefs Martin Shanahan and Neven Maguire.
There was also award success for County Clare when St. Tola Organic Goat Cheese was announced Supreme Champion 2013 for its ‘St. Tola Ash’ product. Director Siobhan Ní Ghairbhith accepted the Sheila Broderick Memorial Trophy on behalf of the Inagh-based company.
Amongst the other Clare operators hosting information stands at Bloom in the Park were the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience, Shannon Heritage, Burrenbeo, Luxury Yachting Lough Derg, Templegate Hotel, Loop Head Tourism, Burren College of Art and Ted Tours.
Donnagh Gregson, Chairperson of the Clare Tourism Forum noted: “Clare’s strong presence at the festival has sent out a very strong signal to those present that the County has a lot to offer to prospective tourists.”
“Clare tourism operators have responded well to the shift in visitor trends in recent years with a significant increase in the number of people holidaying at home. A huge amount of work is being carried out by operators, both individually and collectively, to market the County’s many wonderful attractions to the domestic market, as evidenced by Clare’s sizeable presence at Bloom in the Park. This collaborative approach adopted by operators to promoting Clare is key to maintaining the County as one of Ireland’ premier destinations and I look forward to such campaigns continuing in the future,” Ms. Gregson explained.
Meanwhile, Maureen Cleary, Marketing Executive, Clare Tourism Forum noted that the Clare tourism information stands generated significant interest at Bloom in the Park.
She continued: “We are confident that new business will be created as a result of our presence at Bloom in the Park and we look forward to joining our member organisations and other tourism interests in the County at similar events in the future. Bloom presented the local tourism sector with a valuable opportunity to promote the County as a whole, including the established and less known attractions. Clare is fortunate to have a rich and varied tourism product to offer to both domestic and international visitors alike, from the world famous karst landscape of the Burren to the unspoilt beauty of the Loop Head Peninsula and from the heritage town of Ennis to the scenic Lough Derg Region.”
Ms. Cleary added: “The development of walking routes and trails around Clare in recent years has generated significant interest amongst those attending Bloom in the Park. Loop Head was also the subject of interest following the Peninsula’s recent success in The Irish Times ‘Best Place to Holiday in Ireland’ contest.”
The Clare Tourism Forum was established in November 2005 with the objective of mobilising a collaborative strategy to sustain and develop tourism within the county.
For more visit www.clare.ie.
