Shaun Quinn, CEO and Josephine O'Driscoll, accept the LAMA Award for the Wild Atlantic Way
Fáilte Ireland’s latest and biggest initiative, the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s first long-distance touring route, was awarded the National Impact Award at the 2015 Community and Council Awards, hosted by the Local Authority Members Association (LAMA) in association with IPB Insurance, which took place at a ceremony in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry, Dublin.
The National Impact Award recognises a project which has had a positive effect upon the nation as a whole, enhancing the environment, cultural or social activities, transport links or the economic stability or growth of the local and national communities who use it.
Last year Fáilte Ireland invested €10 million rolling out the route which stretches from the Inishowen Peninsula in Donegal to Kinsale in County Cork and already the new attraction is garnering significant interest overseas. This year, the national tourism authority will be developing the attraction further and ensuring that it is heavily promoted to key overseas markets.
Accepting the Award on behalf of the Wild Atlantic Way project, Fáilte Ireland CEO Shaun Quinn emphasised:
“We are thrilled to be awarded the ‘National Impact Award’ by the Local Authority Members Association and I think that this is a reflection on its huge success to date all along the western seaboard. The enthusiasm out there for this project is impressive and not only amongst tourism businesses but also in the wider community.
“With its capacity to drive extra visitor footfall, mobilise communities and showcase the best of the West Coast of Ireland, the Wild Atlantic Way is set to be one of the most significant developments in modern Irish tourism and to be a significant engine of regeneration for rural Ireland. I have no doubt that this project will prove to be a game-changer for tourism in the west and will lure ever greater numbers of visitors to Ireland as they seek to explore the longest defined coastal route in the world.”
ENDS
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Note for Editor
Fáilte Ireland, the national tourism development authority, was established in 2003 to guide and promote tourism as a leading indigenous component of the Irish economy.
The tourism and hospitality industry employs an estimated 205,000 people and generates almost €6.5billion in revenue a year.
The Wild Atlantic Way is Ireland’s first long-distance driving route. Stretching from the Inishowen Peninsula in Donegal to Kinsale in County Cork, the route will offer visitors an opportunity to truly discover the West Coast. Following a comprehensive public consultation process, the 2,500km route has been finalised and includes 159 discovery points along the way. More information about the project can be accessed here.
The Local Authority Members Association (LAMA) represents elected councillors nationwide. The LAMA Community and Council Awards were created to highlight and recognise projects and developments that may otherwise go unrecognised. Town, Burough, City and County councillors nominate projects across 20 categories that demonstrate the work implemented through unique projects that enhance their local area for the good of the community. Detailed criteria for each category are easily available on the official website http://www.lamaawards.org/awards
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