Exciting new Sligo Food Trail launched

"The Secret's in the Mix!" 

That was the message behind a very successful official launch of a new Sligo Food Trail which took place in Sligo City last evening, Wednesday 6th April.

Over the last few years a dynamic and creative team of food producers, foragers, entrepreneurs, restaurateurs and visionary food lovers have continuously endeavoured to develop Sligo's food offering and now they have combined their talents and products with local tourism providers to put Sligo at the forefront of Food Tourism in the northwest of Ireland.

The new Sligo Food Trail has over 65 members who range from restaurants, cafes, artisan food producers and suppliers, hotels, guesthouses, festivals and providers of out-door experiences. All of these people have come together and built a comprehensive all round food tourism package in county Sligo. 

A new website, a YouTube Channel, a Facebook Page, Instagram and a Twitter account along with a comprehensive brochure have all been launched simultaneously to create an awareness of the new food trail and all that it offers to guests arriving in this Gateway City in the northwest.

Discover the secrets and magic of the brewing process at The White Hag Brewery. Make your own pizza dough, roll it, throw it, top it with your favourite ingredients and cook it in the wood burning oven at Bistro Bianconi. 

Herbalist and chef Gaby Wieland and husband Hans will teach you the secrets to finding and identifying many wild foods that grow right on your doorstep and are commonly used for culinary purposes. Dr. Prannie Rhatigan leads walks and talks along the seashore introducing the fascinating world of edible seaweed and how to identify and harvest them.

The most amazing seafood platters, home baking or locally sourced organic produce at Eithna's by the Sea at Mullaghmore. Farm to Fork dinners at Coopershill House, a stunning Georgian mansion set in 500 acres of farm and woodland. Sea Trails with diver/archaeologist Auriel Robinson are matched with a lunch of freshly harvested mussels cooked on the rocks by one of Trá Bán Restaurant’s expert chefs. 

"The great secret that is Sligo Food is now out!" says Aoife Carrigy @Holymackers from the Irish Food Writers Guild @foodguild at the launch of #SligoFoodTrail

Marc from Seashore Veg leads fun and informative seaweed identification walks where you’ll also enjoy a practical demonstration on how to cook and use sea vegetables. Try your hand at surfing with Strandhill Surf School, enjoy a delicious brunch at Shell’s Café and indulge in a seaweed bath at Voya Seaweed Baths followed by delicious ice cream at Mammy Johnston’s.

Anthony Gray, Sligo restaurateur and Chairperson of Sligo Food Trail

Stand-up Paddle-Boarding, Kayaking, Canoeing, Archery or Hill Walking on the Ox Mountain from activity provider Wild Wet Adventures. Relax and watch the swans glide down the Garavogue river while enjoying a “beautifully presented, wide choice“ of sweet and savoury afternoon tea delights at Eala Bhán. Join up with Irish speakers of all levels in an informal conversation group every Friday evening in Ósta Café and there's so much more!

Watch this excellent short video that showcases the new Sligo Food Trail:

Sligo’s premiere location on the Wild Atlantic Way means you can enjoy freshly-caught fish in every local restaurant. Alternatively, indulge your taste buds on Knocknarea Honey, wild Mullaghmore Lobster, Lissadell Oysters and fresh free-range eggs from the foot of Benbulben Mountain.

Whether your touring the Wild Atlantic Way from Cork to Donegal or just getting away for a day or two, you'll discover that as you drive through County Sligo you’ll witness an outstanding landscape which yields the fresh ingredients that create its exceptional cuisine: the lush green fields under the majestic mountains, the working farms, the rivers, the salmon and the mighty Atlantic Ocean!

Take some time out to stop, discover the people and the places and experience some of the great food and food-connected excursions, day-trips, classes and fun things to do that the new Sligo Food Trail has to offer all over the county!

For more info visit  www.SligoFoodTrail.ie
and follow them on Twitter @SligoFoodTrail and #SligoFoodTrail

Zack.

Fish & Chips Masterclass on 3rd March in Killybegs, Ireland's Biggest Fishing Town

Two of Failte Ireland's Donegal Food Champions, Hugh O'Donnell & Mary McGettigan, are hosting
a Fish & Chips Masterclass at the LYIT School of Tourism in Killybegs, with the hope that they can help improve the quality of this signature dish along the Wild Atlantic Way!

This will be a great opportunity to learn and develop your offering as a Fish & Chip business to ensure are making the most of the experience for you and your customer, or for those not in business, to learn how to perfect that perfect crispy battered Fish & Chips!

The Masterclass will be delivered by John & Ciara Shine of Shine's Killybegs Tuna fame. John comes from a family tradition of catching fresh fish as a fisherman and also a family steeped in the the fish & chip business. He has also been very successful in setting up Shine's Irish Tuna, cooked basque style and sold in jars with olive oil. 

Ciara has herself been brought up in the family business, did a masterclass with the guild of British Friers, graduated with an Honours Degree in Business and is currently on the Acorn Programme for young female entrepreneurs in rural Ireland.

Failte Ireland developed the Food Champions program to find key people around the country that are instrumental in promoting the food offerings in  their local area and their county. Donegal is lucky to have 3 Failte Ireland Food Champions (I'm the other one but I broke both my wrists last month and can't help out with the Fish & Chips Masterclass). Hugh O'Donnell runs the famous Kitty Kelly's Restaurant near Killybegs and Mary McGettigan is the founder and organiser of A Taste of Donegal Food Festival.

The Masterclass is also supported by the Donegal Local Enterprise's Food Coast initiative which was set up to increase awareness in Donegal Food and to assist in the development of new food businesses in County Donegal.

The Fish & Chips Masterclass runs from 10am - 1pm on Thursday 3rd March, 2016 (which includes lunch) and costs €50 per person. Places are limited and filling up fast so to book a place or find out more email Mary McGettigan at development@donegaltown.ie

Zack

Major Food Tourism Workshop in Donegal Town - Free Registration

The Wild Atlantic Way is the world’s Longest Defined Coastal Touring Route. Irish people and visitors to the west of Ireland who travel the route, find it really inspiring, renewing, relaxing and invigorating. 

From its northernmost point in Donegal to its southernmost in Cork, the Wild Atlantic Way offers one of the world’s most diverse and spectacular coastlines. You can immerse yourself in the culture, music and food found in the towns and villages along the way, climb the most breathtaking heights and experience a landscape that revives the soul.

In response to the greater emphasis our international visitors now place on food as part of their overall holiday experience, Fáilte Ireland, Ireland's National Tourism Development Authority, has developed Ireland’s Food Story – a resource packed full of engaging content and inspirational advice to help people in business to capitalise on this growing trend.

Fáilte Ireland has recently asked all their Food Champions to host workshops to help people in the tourism business along the route to develop their Food Story using the new Failte Ireland Food Story Toolkit. 

Let's Talk Food on the Wild Atlantic Way is a workshop on how Food Tourism can enhance your marketing and drive sales to your business.

As there are four Food Champions in County Donegal and here being the starting point of the Wild Atlantic Way, we decided to host one central Donegal Workshop to avoid duplication. 

Sliabh Liag sea cliffs are on the Wild Atlantic Way in Donegal

Let's Talk Food on the Wild Atlantic Way will provide practical tips and advice on how to write a food story for your business and how it can deliver additional business.

Workshop Content:

• Food and the Wild Atlantic Way – how and why it’s important to your business
• Examples of the food experiences your target market wants
• Marketing tips to create, promote and deliver your food story 
• Examples of how other businesses have used local food to gain business, stand out and drive revenue 
• Ireland’s Content Pool – How to access the free collection of images, video and copy to use in your marketing material

This three-hour workshop is open to everyone who is interested in building and promoting their business on the Wild Atlantic Way. It will be especially beneficial to managers, marketing managers, business owners and the people who write content for your website, social media, brochures, advertising etc.

This Free Workshop is fully subsidised by Fáilte Ireland and takes place at: 

Donegal Town Community Enterprise Centre, in Donegal Town, 

on Wednesday 22nd April from 10.00am – 1.00pm.

Directions to Donegal Town Community Enterprise Centre

To Register email development@donegaltown.ie

or contact any one of the four

Donegal Failte Ireland Food Champions

Mary McGettigan 087 1777140 (A Taste of Donegal Food Festival)

Hugh O'Donnell 087 7975704 (Kitty Kelly’s Restaurant Killybegs)

Zack Gallagher 086 6632079 (The Irish Food Guide)

Donal Doherty 087 2195577 (Harrys Restaurant & Harrys Shack)

This is a great opportunity for people in business and potential new businesses to learn from and work with some of Failte Ireland's Food Champions and to make the most of this amazing country we live in.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Zack

Fáilte Ireland Tourism Barometer shows strong Tourism growth for 2014

74% of Irish tourism businesses are upbeat about their 2014 performance with business sentiment at a level not seen since 2007 according to the latest Fáilte Ireland Tourism Barometer which was published today.

The Fáilte Ireland Tourism Barometer is a survey of tourism businesses designed to provide insight into tourism performance for the year to date and prospects for the remainder of the season or coming year. It has been conducted regularly since 1999.

The survey of tourism businesses was carried out during August and September. The recovery in the tourism industry is now apparent across Ireland with all regions reporting strong increases on last year.

50% of restaurants report an increase in tourism custom on 2013. Overseas business is very strong, with 72% reporting an increase in customers. This is very positive news, as restaurants were hit particularly hard during the financial crisis. Dublin, which has been leading the recovery in tourism fortunes, continues to perform strongly and the South West has enjoyed an exceptional performance this year with 84% reporting business to be up on 2013.

The continued development and promotion of the Wild Atlantic Way is reaping benefits for the tourism industry in the west of Ireland. Around half (47%) in the West cite the Wild Atlantic Way as a positive, as do 43% in both the North West and the South West and 43% in the Shannon region. Comparatively only 6% in the South East, 4% in Dublin and 3% in the East and Midlands report the Wild Atlantic Way as a positive!

Shaun Quinn CEO of Fáilte Ireland

Commenting on today’s research, Shaun Quinn CEO of Fáilte Ireland said: “For now, tourism is back but this has been a very hard won recovery. It has taken a mixture of sacrifice and innovation by many operators – as well as far-sighted Government support for the sector - to make Ireland a competitive destination again. Fáilte Ireland initiatives such as ‘The Gathering’ and ‘The Wild Atlantic way’ have also strengthened our hand as we pitch for visitors from overseas.”

He added, “The danger now for tourism would be to allow complacency to creep back in. To sustain this year’s growth, we need to remain competitive, build on our appeal and continue to aggressively target those segments of our markets with the most potential”.

There is positivity among Hoteliers where own-marketing is the most mentioned positive factor, followed by repeat visitors. Irish people holidaying in Ireland is also cited as a positive factor by over half of hotels. Some hotels also cite that the retention of the 9% VAT rate is positively affecting their business this year while concerns over fuel and energy costs remain. Low-priced NAMA-owned competition was cited as bad for business and other operating costs remain significant issues for some in the industry.

Other points to note from today’s Failte Ireland survey of tourism businesses include:

• A strong majority (79%) of accommodation providers report an increase in visitor volumes so far this year, compared to the same period last year.

• As in previous years, hotels remain the strongest sector with 82% reporting an increase in visitors. However, 2014 has also proved to be a good year for guesthouses with 69% report increased visitors and B&Bs up by 60%.

• The overseas market has provided sharp increases for restaurants with 72% reporting their overseas visitor volumes to be up on 2013.

• So far this year, Germany, North America and to some extent Great Britain are becoming stronger markets and many also report greater volumes and spending within the domestic market.

• For those on the west coast, the Wild Atlantic Way continues to draw visitors and is strongly appreciated by operators along the route for helping develop new tourism businesses.

• For those not along the west coast they are keen to see something similar closer to their operations.

• Decent summers and signs of improved economies in Ireland and overseas are seeing operators becoming more optimistic, with some beginning to reinvest in their own products.

Read the full Fáilte Ireland Tourism Barometer report HERE

Zack

Failte Ireland officially launches the World’s Longest touring route The Wild Atlantic Way

Tourism is about people and is Ireland’s tourism industry is it's largest and most important industry. It is responsible for in excess of 4% of GNP in the Republic of Ireland and employs almost 200,000 people. The Tourism & Hospitality industry are a vital part of Ireland's economic recovery for the future.

In 2013, Ireland welcomed an estimated 8 million overseas visitors to the island, delivering revenue of approximately €5.7 billion. Overseas tourism business accounts for 59% of all tourism revenue. Overseas visitor numbers are up +8.2% for November to January – or 100,000 additional visitors from North America, Canada, Mainland Europe, The UK, Australia & the Far East Developing Markets.

This morning, Fáilte Ireland (the Irish National Tourism Development Authority) along with it's Tourism partners all over the west coast of Ireland and around the world, officially launched it's latest signature project to rejuvenate Irish tourism: the Wild Atlantic Way. 

The Irish Minister of State for Tourism & Sport, Michael Ring T.D. today promised visitors the “Journey of a Lifetime”, as he launched the Wild Atlantic Way.

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. Fáilte Ireland is investing €10 million in developing tourism related infrastructure along the route during 2014.

The Wild Atlantic Way has been developed "from the bottom up" through public meetings at local level all across the western region and following this comprehensive consultation process, the 2,500km route has now been finalised and includes 159 discovery points along the way. At this stage of its development, the route comprises of a main 'spine' but in time a series of looped itineraries will be created to further develop the experience for visitors.

Minister Michael Ring launches the Wild Atlantic Way with Fiona Monaghan of Fáilte Ireland

Speaking today, Minister Ring said: “The Wild Atlantic Way is a really exciting project which I’m delighted to launch here today. It’s the world’s longest touring route through some of Ireland’s most beautiful places and is already proving a hit in our key overseas markets like Britain, the US, France and Germany. It has massive potential to bring more visitors and more jobs to rural communities right along the western seaboard."

For Irish people living along it, the route is opening up new opportunities to get involved in developing new tourism products for visitors to their area. The objective of the project is to get tourism guests to stay longer by having more options, to learn more about our culture and heritage, to enjoy the beauty that we do living on these western Atlantic shores and ultimately to spend more money in the regions that they visit.

Slieve League in County Donegal- part of the Wild Atlantic Way

The Wild Atlantic Way offers the traveller a huge amount to see and do including over 500 Visitor Attractions, more than 1,500 activities to pursue, 580 festivals and events throughout the year, 17 trails and 50 looped walks, 53 Blue Flag beaches and 120 Golf Courses including some of the best ‘links’ golf in the world.

It is anticipated that as opportunities to start new tourism businesses become realised, that a new generation of tourism entrepreneurs will grow on the west coast of Ireland. The involvement of the communities along the western seaboard will be critical to the success of the Wild Atlantic Way project.

Fiona Monaghan, Fáilte Ireland’s Head of the Wild Atlantic Way, emphasised this point. “The enthusiasm out there for this project is impressive, not only amongst tourism businesses but also in the wider community. The key to success for this initiative will be its authenticity – not just the places but also the people of the Wild Atlantic Way," she said. “Fáilte Ireland is working with tourism operators and local communities to ensure that they can engage with the opportunities offered by the project and to assist them in ‘telling and selling’ and in bringing their stories to life along the route.”

The Wild Atlantic Way will also feature 159 'Discovery Points'. Along the route, these points are distinct sites, large and small, each chosen for their potential to offer visitors an authentic and intimate experience of the natural and wild landscape and seascape. A Discovery Point is a viewing point at which the visitor can stop off along the route and learn more about that place by means of on-site information and interpretation.

Kylemore Abbey in Connemara, County Galway - part of the Wild Atlantic Way

15 of these 'Discovery Points' have been identified as being “Signature Discovery Points” – in other words, iconic must-see sights along Ireland’s west coast. Of these 15 iconic sites, three are already well-established visitor attractions and will require minimal work to play their part - Sliabh Liag in Co Donegal, the Cliffs of Moher, Co Clare and Mizen Head, Co Cork.

The 15 'Discovery Points' on the Wild Atlantic Way are:

Regions	Route	Discovery Points
North West Donegal, Leitrim & Sligo	Inishowen Peninsula– Derry to Letterkenny Distance: 197km Fanad Head-Letterkenny to Bunbeg Distance: 163 km The Slieve League Coast-Bunbeg to Donegal Town Distance: 170km Donegal Bays & Sligo– Donegal Town to Ballina Distance: 192km	Malin Head Fanad Head Slieve League Coast Mullaghmore Head
The West Mayo & Galway	Erris- Ballina to Belmullet Distance: 213km Clew Bay & Achill Island-Belmullet to Westport Distance: 238km Killary Harbour-Westport to Clifden Distance: 165km Connemara-Clifden to Galway City Distance: 176km	Downpatrick Head Keem Strand Killary Harbour Derrigimalagh
Mid-West Clare & Limerick	West Clare & The Burren-Galway to Kilkee Distance: 164km The Shannon Estuary-Kilkee to Tralee Distance: 216km	Cliffs of Moher Loop Head Drive
South West Kerry & Cork	The Dingle Peninsula-Tralee to Castlemaine Distance: 150km Ring of Kerry-Castlemaine to Kenmare Distance: 175km Beara to Sheep’s Head-Kenmare to Durrus Distance: 210km West Cork– Durrus to Kinsale Distance: 207km	Blasket Islands Skellig Michael Dursey Island Mizen Head

Fáilte Ireland is currently developing a specially designed Wild Atlantic Way App which will be available for visitors at the end of June.  This app - which is being designed for both Apple and Android devices - will be a key resource for visitors as they travel along the route and will be a very important tool in ensuring that visitors spread out to discover all to see and do off-route as well as on it.

Poulnabrone Dolmen in The Burren, Co Clare - part of the Wild Atlantic Way

“Unlike The Gathering, the Wild Atlantic Way is not a ‘one-off’ but rather an evolving project which will build and develop over the years", said Minister Ring. "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.”

You can Follow Failte Ireland on Twitter @Failte_Ireland  

To keep right up to date with all new information, foodie finds and secret gems discovered along the route Search out the Twitter hashtag #WildAtlanticWay 

Zack

Failte Ireland names it's new Food Tourism Ambassadors

Fáilte Ireland today announced the names of the eight new food tourism ambassadors that have been selected to represent Ireland and join the Food Tourism Network Development programme.

This followed a very well subscribed selection process after the tourism authority had sought nominations for emerging food champions with a resounding passion and belief in Irish food who actively influence and shape the future of Irish cuisine and food tourism in their region.

The focus for the initiative in 2013 is on individuals located along the Wild Atlantic Way - Ireland's first long-distance touring route, stretching along the coast from Donegal to West Cork. 

The 2013 Failte Ireland Food Champions are:

Hugh O’Donnell, Kitty Kellys & Hughies Bar, Killybegs – DONEGAL

Deborah Evers, Clareville House Kitchen Gardens, Ballyvaughan - CLARE

Jacinta Dalton, Dept Culinary Arts, GMIT - GALWAY

Martin Bealin, Global Village Restaurant, Dingle - KERRY

Mary McGettigan, A Taste of Donegal Food Festival, Donegal Town - DONEGAL

Benoit Lorge, Lorge Chocolatier, Kenmare – KERRY

Zack Gallagher, Irish Food Tours, Donegal Town – DONEGAL

Ross Quinn, Vasco Restaurant, Fanore - CLARE

(See detailed individual Profiles below)

Speaking today, Helen McDaid Fáilte Ireland’s Food Tourism Manager said - “We received nominations for many able ‘would be ambassadors’ from along the Wild Atlantic Way route – many thanks to both the nominees and nominators for the interest that they have shown. Our focus continues to be on ‘emerging’ food champions who have been working hard in their regions and can now become a part of this network which will support and guide them as they continue to develop food tourism experiences.

Helen McDaid, Food Tourism Manager at Failte Ireland

“Last year’s programme was a great success with many of the champions going on to do great work for food tourism in their areas. The focus this year is on our new project the Wild Atlantic Way and how we can further develop the visitor experience by promoting our local and regional food experiences.” 

As they embark on their role as Fáilte Ireland Food Champions, the group will now travel on a food tourism benchmarking trip to Norway to see first-hand a real-life linkage between a driving route and food tourism – this trip will provide great insight and learning opportunities for our industry here in Ireland. 

The group will have the opportunity to meet with the people behind a range of food businesses in Norway who are utilising food tourism as part of their development and business generation strategy. 

Looking further ahead, Ms McDaid commented - “Once the group returns home the focus will be on working together with their local communities to help build Ireland’s food tourism reputation and encourage visitors to stop, spend and stay longer on the Wild Atlantic Way. 

“Working together and developing networks and relationships within their localities will help to develop engaging food experiences to truly utilise food tourism as a workable economic development strategy.”


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 185,000 people and generates almost €5.7 billion in revenue a year. 

Meet the Failte Ireland Food Champions 2013 

• Hugh O’Donnell, Kitty Kellys & Hughies Bar, Killybegs – DONEGAL 

In addition to his own businesses, Hugh was involved with the Donegal Good Food Taverns and launched and ran the Killybegs Seafood festivals. He represented Donegal in the Tyrone/Donegal Good Food initiative which produced The Little Black Recipe Book and several cross border food fairs. He has served as chair and vice chair of Tir Boghaine, a rural development company for the last 5 years and currently sits on the steering team of the Donegal Good Food initiative. 

• Deborah Evers, Clareville House Kitchen Gardens, Ballyvaughan – CLARE 

Deborah is a food producer with a range of preserves called Burren Kitchen Garden. She is secretary of the local farmers market, member of the marketing committee of the Burren Ecotourism Network as was on the co-ordinating committee for the Burren Food Trail & Burren Weekly Food Series which was launched in April, 2013. 

• Jacinta Dalton, Dept Culinary Arts, GMIT – GALWAY 

A lecturer at GMIT, Jacinta has a strong industry background with which she maintains close links. She co-founded The Foodie Forum now in its second year and has been actively involved in many food festivals. Jacinta was also selected by Galway County Council for an educational visit to France with the objective of promoting Galway and the local food products available. 

• Martin Bealin, Global Village Restaurant, Dingle – KERRY 

Martin is a chef who runs and manages his own restaurant. He sources local goods, grows all his own vegetables and promotes local artisan producers. He was one of the founding members of the Dingle Food & Wine Festival and of Blas na hEireann, the national food awards. 

• Mary McGettigan, A Taste of Donegal Food Festival, Donegal Town – DONEGAL 

Mary has been instrumental in setting up the Taste of Donegal Food Festival and using food tourism as a way to increase visitors to Donegal Town and the surrounding area. She has collaborated with a number of community groups in the area and has worked hard to attract a wide range of artisan food producers to this event. This event has now been recognised as one of the must attend events in the North West. 

• Benoit Lorge, Lorge Chocolatier, Kenmare – KERRY 

A pastry chef by trade, Benoit set up Lorge Chocolatier and has developed the business to include factory demos, chocolate courses and a traditional chocolate shop. Benoit has also been very involved in the establishment of the Kenmare Food Carnival, a 2013 Bonane Gathering event and he works closely with community groups in his region. 

• Zack Gallagher, Irish Food Tours, Donegal Town – DONEGAL 

Zack has been writing a food-news website, www.IrishFoodGuide.ie, since 2007. Over the last few years he has built networks and created links between a wide range of producers, farms, sea fishing enterprises and the very best food providers who specialise in modern Irish cuisine and use of local produce. He has now created ‘Irish Food Tours’ with an aim to provide a complete food tourism experience for inbound tour operators. 

• Ross Quinn, Vasco Restaurant, Fanore - CLARE 

Ross, owner and sole chef, brings a fresh, locally sourced, adventurous cuisine to a small village. Locals and tourists enjoy the freshly caught fish, his own organically grown vegetables, foraged foods, meat and cheeses. He has established working relationships with B&Bs and a range of other businesses in the area to offer 'eco adventure' packages combining users of surfing and climbing schools and walking guides with accommodation and food. 

The Wild Atlantic Way 

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 156 discovery points along the way. 

At this stage the route comprises of a main spine but in time, a series of looped itineraries will be created to further develop the experience for visitors. Along with the relevant local authorities and other stakeholders, Fáilte Ireland has been working on the Wild Atlantic Way for the past year with significant progress to date in terms of route identification and an overall brand. Over the next year the focus will be on preparing a signage plan for the route along with ensuring the discovery points are visitor-ready. 

In addition, the tourism authority will be working with tourism businesses along the route environs to help them deliver and package their Wild Atlantic Way experiences. A series of workshops will take place focussing on the main target markets of Great Britain, France, Germany and the USA. A marketing strategy for the overseas promotion of the project will be rolled out in time for the launch of the route in March 2014.

Visit the Failte Ireland website at http://www.failteireland.ie