Innovations and Invitations can boost tourist industry – Hannigan
Issued : Monday 8 March, 2010
Use innovations and invitations to help keep our tourism industry afloat, is the message from Senator Dominic Hannigan.
Speaking the Oireachtas this week the Labour Senator put forward ideas on how tourism in the north east can be further developed and enhanced.
“With 435,000 of our fellow citizens out of work, we need to focus our energies on areas where we can create jobs. We can do innovative things to grow our tourism industry. For instance in New Zealand, which is probably the adrenaline capital of the world, they have activities such as zorbing. Where for instance, can one go zorbing in Ireland?” asked Senator Hannigan.
“We should examine growth areas such as surfing. Many of our coastal areas are particularly well suited to surfing. Newquay in Cornwall has been transformed by the advent of surf tourism. Another area we can grow is heritage tourism. It is not just about capital investment, it is about how innovative we are. In Donegal organisations such as Oideas Gael provide Irish language courses that attract people from all over Europe and the world, who have an interest in Irish culture,” said Hannigan.
The Meath East Senator said he is fortunate to come from the heritage capital of Ireland. “Newgrange attracts 250,000 people every year, many of them from outside Ireland. The Battle of the Boyne site attracts many people from north and south of the Border. By investing in our heritage sites, we can help to grow the number of people who come to our shores.”
Along with innovations Senator Hannigan recommends sending out invitations.
“We all have a responsibility to make a phone call to our Irish American friends and relatives. Many who claim to have Irish heritage have never have visited these shores. This year more than ever we need to encourage as many people as possible to visit Ireland,” he said.
