1. Tourism and the Shannon A REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE
Éanna Rowe
Waterways Ireland

2. Waterways ireland Mission:
To provide recreational opportunities along the inland waterways that sustain people, communities, heritage and nature.
Mission:
The provision of sustainable and accessible inland waterway recreational environments that provide compelling reasons for people to visit, live, work and play.
Vision:

3. BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
Manage and maintain TO provide safe, open and accessible recreational space.
Inspire more people to discover and enjoy recreational activities……
Focus developments on unlocking opportunities.. achieve recreational growth, and economic and social dev
Continue to develop WI as the …custodian of the inland waterways

4. THE SHANNON Longest River 3 large Lakes & SOME LATERAL CANALS
MYRIAD OF TOWNS AND VILLAGES
WORLD CLASS BOATING INFRASTRUCTURE
Numerous Public Sites
RICH LANDSCAPES AND HERITAGE

6. The shannon 8,500 boats €80 million 83% cruise hire €55 million
> 150 activity providers
Pre-Christian, Christian and Napoleonic attractions
Outdoor playground (Blueway, Baysports, Lough Key)
Proven tourism offering

7. Potential Capacity Access Demand Doubled mooring space
New destinations
On shore services
Access
Improved air access
Motorway network
Demand
Domestic & International
Outdoor Recreation worth €1 billion

8. How to achieve potential?
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
ESTABLISHING JOINT INITIATIVES
COLABORATION
AVOIDING DUPLICATION
LEVERAGING RESOURCES

9. REGIONAL & LOCAL AUTHORITIES
PARTNERSHIP
State agencies
TOURISM AUTHORITIES
SPORTS COUNCIL
REGIONAL & LOCAL AUTHORITIES

10. PARTNERSHIP COMMUNITY SECTOR ACTIVITY PROVIDERS attractions
ACCOMMODATION SECTOR

11. DELIVERY FORMULATION OF STRATEGIES AND PLANS
COORDINATED PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
JOINT MARKETING & PROMOTION
ESTABLISHING NETWORKS

12. Delivery
Strategy

13. Tourism & Recreation
Greenway and Blueway
State lands
Design guidelines
Water corridor studies
National
Product development Studies
Lough Derg Development Roadmap
SPIRIT LEVEL - Lough Ree islands & PEATLANDS
Regional
Destination development plans
Carrick 20/20
Limerick 2040
Destination athlone
County development plans
Local

14. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT STUDIES
WATERWAYS IRELAND
FÁILTE IRELAND/NITB
LOCAL AUTHORITIES
LEADER COMPANIES
PRODUCT & ACTIVITY PROVIDERS
LOCAL COMMUNITIES
OTHER AGENCIES (OPW, NPWS,BnaM, IFI)

15. STUDY METHODOLOGY Agree study area LITERATURE REVIEW PRODUCT AUDIT
MAPPING
ACTION PROGRAMMES

16. STUDY AIMS DEFINE FUTURE NEEDS ENSURE INTEGRATED PLAN
NAVIGATIONAL
RECREATIONAL
TOURISM
ENSURE INTEGRATED PLAN
ENSURE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF EACH STUDY AREA ARE MET

17. STUDY OBJECTIVES
IDENTIFY & PROACTIVELY DEVELOP & DELIVER OVER TEN YEARS
INFRASTRUCTURAL INVESTMENT (HARD & SOFT)
NAVIGATIONAL, RECREATIONAL & TOURISM PROJECTS
BUILDING & STRENGTHENING EXISTING OFFERING
CLUSTERING PRODUCTS

18. STUDY OUTCOMES Grow Tourism and Recreational Use Grow length of stay
Grow Home Holiday and Overseas
Provide Dividend to Local Economies
Increase Economic Impact
MULTIPLE WALKING, CYCLING, CANOEING, CRAFT & TOURING ROUTES
LINKED TO HERITAGE, ACTIVITY HUBS, GATEWAYS AND ATTRACTIONS
UNDERPINNED BY RECREATION MANAGEMENT PLANS
COLLECTIVELY DELIVERED

19. ACTION PROGRAMMES PRE - CHRISTIAN HERITAGE TRAILS & CIRCUITS ACCESS
ENJOYMENT
SIGNAGE
INFORMATION
MARKETING
FESTIVALS
EVENTS
COLLABORATION
HUB DEVELOPMENT
INFRASTRUCTURAL INVESTMENT
STANDARDISATION
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
RESPONSIBLE TOURISM

20. Delivery
Product development

21. ballyleague €270k In kind contributions 95k Fáilte Ireland
50k Roscommon Co Co
40k Inland Fisheries
50k Waterways Ireland
20k community
In kind contributions
grant applications to Fáilte Ireland & IFI,
health and safety roles,
site Investigation,
Environmental assessments
preparing and submitting the Part 8 Planning
assessment and recommendation of a contractor for construction
Tender and construction drawings
supervision of construction

22. Ballyleague Project

23. killaloe €2 million euro investment Waterways Ireland Fáilte Ireland
Clare County Council
Local Community

24. KILLALOE

25. Lough Key Forest Park Joint project
Coillte – Land access
Roscommon County Council
Lead by WI
Fáilte Ireland Funding
project outturn cost approximately €900K.
Impact
40 Berths, Service Block and Floating Breakwater Viewing Platform
Very Successful Project, Large Increase in activity accessible from land and boat.

26. Lough Key Forest Park

27. Lough Key Forest park

28. Clondara attractive rural village.
one of the most imposing inland stone harbours in Ireland,
Located where the Royal Canal meets the River Shannon.
opportunity and necessity to develop and enhance the existing harbour and amenity provisions.
The project was designed, funded and developed (€2m)
Waterways Ireland
Fáilte Ireland
Longford County Council
Local community.

29. Before

30. After

31. Delivery
Promotion & Marketing

32. SIGNAL V. NOISE

36. Why partner? Hard to be heard Better cut through
Greater bang for the buck
Deliver together

37. SHANNON BLUEWAY

38. Trade/ Activity Sector
Identify Partners
Local Authorities
State Agencies
Communities
Trade/ Activity Sector

39. Leitrim, Roscommon, Longford & cavan tourism
Waterways ireland
4local authorities
Leitrim, Roscommon, Longford & cavan tourism
Business providers
Trails office
Canoeing ireland
Tourism network
Fáilte ireland
Local communities

40. Brand development
engagement
promotion

41. Identity and Brand Icons
Paddle
Walk
Cycle

42. engagement Elected members Public reps Media campaigns Public
Activity providers
Accommodation Sector
Information evenings
Come and try it sessions
stakeholder

43. promotion Visitor information Pocket guides Banners T shirts posters
materials

44. Domestic and Community engagement
Public meeting

45. T-shirts

46. promotion Longer term Microsite for Blueways Ireland to be developed
Website
Social media
Filming
Tracks and trails
nationwide
Digital engagement
Longer term
Microsite for Blueways Ireland to be developed
Will facilitate the promotion of Blueway associated businesses and conversations with users through blogging
Leitrim Tourism to provide resource to update accommodation and activities offers
National Trails Office to host trail info with link out to BluewaysIreland.org site

47. promotion Print adverts Radio promotions (newstalk, 98fm u105 )
competitions
Familiarisation trips
Win awards

48. Award Winning
Won “Best Tourism Initiative” category of the LAMA Community & Council Awards 2015

50. Strong community ownership
Success?
100,000 visitors
8 new businesses
€4.5m spend
Continued investment
Strong community ownership

51. In summary BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS ESTABLISHING JOINT INITIATIVES
COLABORATION
AVOIDING DUPLICATION
LEVERAGING RESOURCES

52. CONTACT ÉANNA ROWE REGIONAL MANAGER WATERWAYS IRELAND
@eannarowe