The “pride and energy” of local people in Westport, and the “cosmopolitan feel” of Kinsale helped the two towns scoop Fáilte Ireland’s 2014 National Large Tourism Town and National Small Tourism Town awards respectively.
Westport, a coastal Co Mayo town at the southeast corner of Clew Bay, was chosen from a shortlist of 10 candidates, along with the Co Cork fishing village of Kinsale.
Minister of State for Tourism and Mayo man Michael Ring said it was “a great achievement” for the towns, and the awards were “worthy recognition for all that they do” to promote tourism in Ireland.
“These awards are all about honouring the towns that put tourism at the centre of what they do.
“This is particularly evident with our winners, with both towns clearly embracing tourism and seizing the opportunities arising.”
The Tourism Towns Award was designed by Fáilte Ireland to promote the Irish towns and villages that work hardest to “enhance their appeal to tourists visiting their local area”.
A panel of independent assessors, as well as a team of “secret shoppers”, visited each town to measure their tourism performance and the level of welcome to visitors.
Certificates
Both towns received winning certificates and a €5,000 grant towards developing tourism.
The judges said Westport was a town with a “great sense of local energy and pride”, with inhabitants who are used to dealing with tourists.
“One can see at the onset that this is a very well organised, maintained and compact town with lots to offer,” they said. “There is a great sense of energy and pride in the town, and it is obvious from the locals that they are well used to dealing with tourists.
“They say variety is the spice of life and Westport is not short of either. There is something for everyone and it caters well for Ireland’s climate. The locals were very friendly and approachable. There is no doubt that tourism is the mainstay of the town.”
Kinsale, the judges said, has a “great cosmopolitan feel” that encourages visitors to get out and explore.
“Arriving into Kinsale on a beautiful summer’s evening, the first things to come into view are the masts of the yachts in the harbour, a beautiful sight to see,” they said. “There is a great feeling of having arrived and a desire to get out and start exploring.”
Commended towns
Aside from the top winners, other commended towns were Ardmore and Lismore in Waterford; Carrick-on-Shannon, Leitrim; Cobh and Glengarriff in Cork; Kilkenny town; Killarney and Portmagee in Kerry.
The tourism and hospitality industry employs an estimated 185,000 people and generates almost €5.7 billion in revenue a year.
Fáilte Ireland’s Paul Keeley said the key to a thriving tourism sector was a “grassroots engagement” with initiatives.
The criteria for the awards include a “sense of place”, which is described as how the town tells its own unique story and distinguishes itself from other towns. Also of importance is local involvement, what the town has to offer visitors, and taking a unified approach to marketing and developing the town into a “tourism town”.
