Meeting to be held in Carlow in bid for share of €15.5m 'destination towns' funding
The fund is for up to 62 towns across the country
A meeting and stakeholder workshop is to be held in the Dolmen Hotel on June 6 at 7pm in a bid for a share of the €15.5m 'destination towns' funding.
Fáilte Ireland have said they will invest €15.5million through the local authorities to boost the attractiveness and tourism appeal of up to 62 towns across the country.
As part of the development process for applications, the public, members of the business community and representative groups are invited to attend the consultation workshop.
In the context of Carlow, only Tullow and Carlow Town are eligible for the scheme.
The purpose of the workshop is to examine the scheme and also discuss project concepts for development.
Through the scheme1, every local authority in the country will be able to bid for funding of between €250,000 and €500,000 to develop up to two towns in their area which have the potential to become a "destination town" for tourists.
The "destination towns" will need to demonstrate their capacity and appeal to attract more international visitors to stay overnight - a key driver of spend.
To be successful in their funding submissions, Councils will be expected to identify towns that have:
At least one visitor attraction of scale that can drive tourism demand.
A range of things to see and do for two days - A town that hopes to attract overnight visitors needs to offer a variety of attractions, activities and entertainment options which can keep tourists engaged for more than 11 hours a day, including three hours in the evening.
A selection of accommodation – Towns will need accommodation stock of at least 300 beds to become a seasonal destination town (and 1,000 beds to operate as a year-round destination) or be a town that has the potential to grow its bedstock in the future.
A range of food offerings to meet the visitor needs including a range of options for light snacks, tea/coffee, lunch and dinner.