New five-year tourism plan 'will make a real difference' to Inishowen

A new five-year plan aimed at helping the tourism industry in Inishowen catch up with other parts of the country has been launched by Fáilte Ireland.
The national tourism body hopes the Inishowen Peninsula Destination and Experience Development Plan (DEDP) will create a sustainable tourism destination by extending the tourism season and spreading business across all parts of the region over the next five years.

The plan includes the €12.3m development of a new world-class visitor attraction at Fort Dunree, which over the first five years of operation is estimated to generate €19.5m in direct tourism expenditure supporting 550 jobs in the area.
The development of Malin Head, cycling trails along the Northwest Greenway and a Blueway aimed at encouraging visitors to discover the Inishowen peninsula also form part of the plan.
The plan was developed after key stakeholders in the area and the local community were consulted at four public consultation meetings held around the peninsula in 2020.
Agencies involved in the conception of the plan include Donegal County Council, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Office of Public Works, Inishowen Development Partnership, Loughs Agency, Inishowen Development Partnership, Donegal Local Enterprise Office and local tourism marketing groups as well as many local tourism operators and networks.
Launching the plan in Fort Dunree on Friday, today Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue it “will bolster the sustainability of tourism on the peninsula”.

“Extending the tourism season will not only strengthen individual businesses but will create new entrepreneurial opportunities - sustaining and increasing job creation and boosting the attractiveness of the area for other forms of economic growth. This plan will make a real difference to communities and businesses on the Inishowen peninsula.”
Paul Keeley, director of regional development at Fáilte Ireland said plan “captures the unique themes central to the Inishowen Peninsula” and “will be hugely important as we work to spread the benefit of tourism across County Donegal”.
He said the development of Dunree will help develop “a compelling visitor experience that will showcase its considerable maritime, military, social and political history, telling engaging stories that visitors can share with their friends and family”.
Donegal County Council chief executive John G McLaughlin said the plan “is a great example of how collaboration is the key to building a sustainable tourism industry here in Donegal and will drive the economic growth North of Galway and as far as us here in the North West Region”.

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“The plan provides us with a collective vision for the area and creates a platform for new levels of collaboration between tourism businesses and stakeholders to work in partnership over the next five years to create new and improved existing visitor experiences.”
Chairman of Fort Dunree John McCarter said the plan “gives us the opportunity as tourism businesses to capitalise on the popularity of the route and by enticing visitors to come to Donegal and Inishowen particularly in the off-peak season and stay in our hotels, eat in our restaurants and experience everything the peninsula has to offer.”