Plans to develop the bogs of the midlands into a tourist destination have been announced by Fáilte Ireland.
Orla Carroll, director of product development at Fáilte Ireland, told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland that it is hoped tourism in the midlands will “blossom” the same way as the Wild Atlantic Way.
The campaign will cover counties Westmeath, Laois, Offaly, Longford, Roscommon and parts of Galway – the areas most affected by the change from “brown to green” with an end to harvesting of the bogs. It will be co-funded by the EU and the Irish government with a fund of €169million, €68million of which is for tourism, she explained.
The “broad” scheme is for private and community SMEs to encourage them to “take advantage” from a tourism perspective. The envisaged project types include everything from visitor experiences and low carbon accommodation to digital transformation and improving accessibility.
The area is not as "mature" as other regions in the country from a tourism perspective, said Ms Carroll. The plan will also include the upgrading of town centres as part of the “regenerative tourism” strategy.
“The whole idea is that you improve, you give back more to have a net positive effect.”
Through taking this approach everyone benefits - the environment, the industry, the community and the visitor. "But you do it in such a way that it protects and limits the damage that can be done to the environment.
"But at the same time, people have to live and work there and encourage visitors there so that there is a broad economy. And I suppose what we're all about is everyone wants to live in and work where they've grown up and hopefully this will help people to do that.”
The plan is being launched today and is calling for expressions of interest from businesses and wider community groups.
“This part of the world has a wonderful landscape. And the key part of it is that we're going to be developing a network of trails as well. They will be fully accessible for either walking or cycling or anyone with an impediment. And that means people can get out and about.
"But when you're out and about, you also want to stop for a cup of coffee or a bowl of soup. And then the whole part of this is that we have accommodation, to provide stickiness for people to stay longer and that boosts the economy.”
