This article is from page 18 of the 2013-02-12 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 18 JPG
THE owner of a well-known hotel has expressed concern that Ennis is falling behind other areas of the country when it comes to attracting tourists.
John Madden of the Temple Gate Hotel called yesterday for a more unified approach to the promotion of the county capital, saying that groups currently involved in the tourism sector are “not working together”.
Mr Madden said he is concerned that Ennis is losing tourists to areas such as Westport, Cork and Galway.
He said, “Are there too many organisations? I don’t know but we need to be acting and working together.”
“There is a huge push going on in Limerick at the moment and it just seems that we don’t have the same push in Clare,” he added.
Mr Madden was speaking at a meeting of Clare County Council’s Community and Enterprise, Tourism and Emergency Services, Strategic Policy Committee (SPC).
He said the recent purchase of the West County Hotel by the Treacy Group could also be a huge boost to the town.
Mr Madden said the hotel’s reputation as a conference venue would continue to be “crucial” to bringing visitors to Ennis.
He explained, “I remember a time when there were up on 19 or 20 conferences a year in Ennis.
“If the West County can be encouraged along, we can get back to that stage again.”
He continued, “We had the AllIreland Darts Championships in the West County at the weekend and the hotels were full.
“I saw families of players coming back to the hotel with bags after shopping in the town. If we can get more of that (type of business), Ennis will do well.”
Mr Madden said all groups involved in the promotion of Ennis should meet and agree on a unified approach.
Director of Service and Ennis Town Manager, Ger Dollard told the meeting that groups such as Promote Ennis are working to bring more tourists to Ennis.
However, Mr Dollard said that both Promote Ennis and the Clare Tourism Forum will have to “gear up for a new reality” when the responsibility for tourism promotion for the mid-west is transferred from Shannon Development to An Bórd Fáilte.
Mr Dollard said initiatives such as the recent Purple Flag are aimed at bringing more tourists to Ennis.
Mr Madden told the meeting that businesses are concerned over the time it is taking for responsibility for the newly independent Shannon Airport to be transferred away from the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) to the new board.
He said, “It hasn’t really transferred and it is a worry and the people that are going to suffer are businesses.”
He also called for Clare to be better promoted in the arrivals hall of Shannon Airport.
Mr Dollard said a two-person board has already been set up and further appointments are expected.
He said stands promoting Clare will be on view in new destinations serviced by Shannon, such as Phoenix and Washington.
Mr Dollard told the meeting that the Clare Tourism Forum will spend up to € 10,000 this year on signs at Shannon Airport. Ma n u fa c tu re rs o f Bo x P ro file Cla d d in g a n d Co rru g a te d Sh e e tin g a ls o ma n u fa c tu re rs o f No n -Drip In s u la te d Ro o fin g , All Fla s h in g s , Cla p p in g s a n d Gu tte rs e tc Sp e e d y d e live ry, ke e n e s t p ric e s fo r a ll yo u r n e e d s in Ro o fin g Ag ric u ltu ra l o r In d u s tria l