South Dublin County Council has begun work to develop a feasibility study and masterplan for a proposed flagship tourism related facility for the Dublin Mountains. The facility will act as a key tourist attraction to the Dublin Mountains and is aimed at making the outdoors, and the Dublin Mountains in particular, a must see part of the visitor experience of Dublin.
The feasibility study will examine the requirements for core facilities and services/activities required by visitors including the interpretation of the history and heritage of the locality, a possible food offering, reservation and booking opportunities, along with reception and orientation facilities for walkers and visitors to interpret the landscape and experience the routes currently available to them in the Dublin Mountains.
One such walking route is the Dublin Mountains Way which was recently included in an international travel guide setting out the 1,001 most scenic walks in the world. Developing the Dublin Mountains as a visitor destination can promote activity, health and well-being, awareness and conservation of bio-diversity and education on cultural and natural heritage.
Orla Carroll, Strategic Director of Fáilte Ireland said:
“The Dublin Mountains Way is a great example of the wealth of trails that exist in Ireland today, ranging from multi access trails for all users to more challenging trails for the serious hill walker.
Walking is one of the greatest ways to discover our world and the DMW forms part of the wider walking experience that will be developed for visitors in and around South Dublin County over the next few years. As the trail is essentially only 8 miles from O’Connell Street, The Dublin Mountains Way emphasises the proposition of the Great Outdoors on Dublin’s Doorstep.”
Failte Ireland’s wide-ranging “Destination Dublin” report by the Grow Dublin Taskforce, launched in January 2014 outlined a series of actions to re-define and develop the tourism product in Dublin. The development of a flagship facility in the Dublin Mountains sits well with Fáilte Ireland’s new vision for the visitor experience of Dublin; “The vibrant capital city bursting with a variety of surprising experiences-where city living thrives side by side with the natural outdoors.”
It is expected that a final project plan and report will be made available to the Council by mid December, 2015.
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