Tourism businesses celebrate year of growth through Tipperary development programme

Tourism businesses from across the Suir Blueway came together at the Talbot Hotel, Clonmel, on Tuesday November 10 to mark the successful conclusion of the 2026 Suir Blueway Cluster Development Programme, a collaborative initiative co-funded by Failte Ireland and Tipperary County Council.

The event brought together a large gathering of tourism operators, community representatives and tourism stakeholders from across the Suir Blueway corridor to celebrate achievements, share experiences and strengthen partnerships for the future.

The programme, which operated throughout 2026 across the three cluster areas of Cahir, Clonmel and Carrick-on-Suir, was designed to support tourism businesses in working together to enhance the visitor experience, build stronger commercial opportunities and raise the profile of the Suir Blueway as a destination of choice.

Activities throughout the year included cluster meetings, networking sessions, training workshops, a learning journey and business development supports.

The end-of-year event, themed ‘Connecting People, Places and Businesses Along the Suir Blueway’, reflected the programme’s core objective of fostering collaboration among tourism providers and showcasing the collective strength of the destination.

Participants heard from Damien Ginty, Director of Services with Tipperary County Council, and Derek Dolan, Manager, Ireland’s Ancient East with Failte Ireland, who discussed the vision and future potential of the Suir Blueway and the importance of partnership in developing a sustainable tourism destination.

During the discussion Damien Ginty noted “The success of the Suir Blueway depends on people working together. This programme has shown what can be achieved when businesses, communities, Fáilte Ireland and local government share a common vision. The relationships built over the past year are just the beginning, and I am excited about the opportunities ahead for tourism, enterprise and local communities along the Suir Blueway.”

The programme also highlighted the achievements of local tourism businesses through the ‘Local Heroes: Doing it for Ourselves’ panel discussion, featuring representatives from tourism enterprises across the Suir Blueway region.

Attendees heard first-hand accounts of entrepreneurship, collaboration and innovation from businesses that are helping to shape the visitor experience along the Blueway.

A key feature of the event was a dynamic networking session, providing participants with an opportunity to develop meaningful connections, identify new partnership opportunities, and explore ways to work together to attract more visitors to the area.

The strong attendance demonstrated the growing commitment among tourism operators to collaborate in promoting the Suir Blueway and strengthening the visitor offering across

the destination.

Throughout the programme, participants identified collaboration, destination promotion, sustainable business development and enhanced visibility for the Suir Blueway as key priorities.

Businesses also contributed to the development of a shared framework and vision for the network, helping to establish a strong foundation for future growth.

Speaking at the event, Mairead Winters, Tourism Activator with Tipperary County Council, thanked all businesses and stakeholders who participated in the programme and acknowledged the commitment shown by tourism operators throughout the year in building stronger connections and opportunities across the Suir Blueway.

The Suir Blueway Cluster Development Programme forms part of ongoing efforts by Failte Ireland and Tipperary County Council to support tourism development, strengthen local businesses and enhance the visitor experience throughout County Tipperary and Ireland’s Ancient East.

The event concluded with a networking lunch and a renewed sense of optimism about the future of the Suir Blueway, with businesses committed to continuing to work together to develop one of Ireland’s most distinctive river-based tourism destinations.

Following the successful event Derek Dolan from Failte Ireland was quoted as saying “Fáilte Ireland is delighted to continue working closely with Tipperary County Council and the tourism industry to realise the potential of the Suir Blueway.

It was a pleasure to take part in the discussions and meet so many local businesses and organisations passionate about tourism in Tipperary.

Bringing the industry together through networks and events like this strengthens connections, encourages collaboration and creates a more joined-up visitor experience, helping turn individual assets into a stronger overall destination.”