This article is from page 13 of the 2011-04-05 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 13 JPG
TOURISM interests on the Clare side of Lough Derg are banding together to create a range of activities and packages to take advantage of the imminent launch of seaplane services into Mountshannon.
A meeting of tourism providers in Pepper’s Pub in Feakle heard from Seaplane CEO Emyly Heapes that plans are running on-schedule for the first commercial flight to land in Mountshannon in mid-May.
“We hope to have the airstrip up and licenced by then,” he told The Clare People .
Mr Heapes told the meeting of more than 20 Clare tourism providers that he wants them to be creative and give people cause to stay in the Lough Derg area and spend their money.
“We’ll bring them in but the business people need to give visitors a reason to come here. Flyfishing classes, packages, horse-riding, golfing – whatever it takes to bring people in. We have to pull together and help ourselves, because if anyone is waiting for the Government to bring business in for them, they’re out of their minds. It won’t happen,” Emylyn said.
Gary Pepper, a member of the East Clare Tourism Forum, said that he is very optimistic about the new service bringing extra vistors and revenue to East Clare. “We would like to see a scaled down version of Shannon Airport in East Clare when these planes arrive. Anything which brings people in is to be welcomed. We need every advantage we can get.”
The Feakle publican said that the area “has fantastic things to offer. We have walking trails, boating, water sports, fishing, golf, music, food – everything and Lough Derg is the nerve centre of all that. Now we have to work together to attract people to use the new service and to come here.”
It’s envisaged that the seaplane service will ferry passengers between Mountshannon, Cork and Galway.
The proposal ran into stormy waters when it was originally proposed, with objections from a number of bodies and individuals who feared that landing planes would interfere with boating and wildlife on the lake.