This article is from page 6 of the 2013-12-03 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
ENNIS’ reputation as one of Ireland’s top tourism towns was further enhanced when it was one of the best places to visit.
Fáilte Ireland last week honoured Ennis as one of the top ten towns in Ireland making a difference to tourism, at the 2013 Tourism Towns Awards Ceremony in Dublin. The highest accolade went to Kil kenny who won the national title of Ireland’s Tourism Town 2013. The Medieval town was chosen from a shor tlist of ten top tourism towns including Ennis.
The Fáilte Ireland judging panel praised the town’s “historical, archaeological and cult ure heritage while retaining the best of its nat ural envi ronment”.
They continued, “Shopping in Ennis is a delightful experience and the range and quality of attractions is commendable as is the range of accommodation and food offerings.”
Congratulating Ennis on reaching the top ten, CEO of Fáilte Ireland Shaun Quinn said, “I would li ke to commend the community of Ennis for making the top ten at this year’s Tourism Town Awards. You are a great example of what can be achieved in tourism when all the local elements are aligned with a common pur pose. I hope that the towns and villages recognised today will inspi re other communities across Ireland to take similar steps.”
Speaking about thei r involvement with the award, Teresa McGrath, Ennis Tidy Towns Coordinator, said, “Resulting from our par ticipation in the Fáilte Ireland Tourism Towns competition, various tourism interests have come together to share thei r views, thei r experiences, thei r plans, thei r concerns for the tourism products of the town and its hinterland. There has been lively and valuable discussion on the various tourist products of which Ennis can boast and the way in which these products can be promoted.”
Ms McGrath continued, “The emphasis on sense of place in the competition has shar pened the focus that product providers have of the uniqueness of the Ennis experience, a uniqueness that has a broad appeal, not only to the visitors from across the seas but also to Irish people in Ireland seeking an affordable, safe and fun holiday on the island. The various sections and stages of the competition provide a roadmap for the development of Ennis as a leading Irish tourism town.”