Start Date
6-6-2012 11:30 AM
End Date
6-6-2012 1:00 AM
Description
Peripheral regions and particularly island peripheral regions have many attractions as tourism destinations, not least their pleasing geographical settings and the sense of renewal which they can inspire. Such regions often face the challenges of seasonality, depletion of population, difficulty of access and infrastructure deficit. The objective of this exploratory study was to develop a model for the enhancement of the tourism product in a peripheral setting in Ireland. The work was undertaken in collaboration with the office of Udaras na Gaeltachta in the region. The approach was a) to scope the chosen location in terms of innate assets and unique selling points and b) to determine the interventions required to reformulate, market and manage those assets as an enhanced and sustainable tourism product. Preliminary observations were undertaken on the location regarding facilities, food produce, the landscape, the cultural heritage, arts and indigenous crafts, community engagement and the regions diaspora. The results led to the proposal for the enhancement of the tourism product through the promotion of local produce, products, culture and heritage in an innovative, supportive and synergistic environment involving the public, semi-state, private and academic sectors as key actors. The study also brought into focus the key demands of such participants. The format envisages a community centre style model in a co-dependency with external involvement and the stimulation of small scale local enterprise. The concept is based on maximising the latent potential of traditionality in food including any medicinal potential of local produce and on identifying and optimising the reach of cultural products. The model provides for education, research and training and for the operation of a commercial kitchen, a dining facility, food product development and incubator units, a craft workshop, a retail outlet and meeting rooms. The interventions identified to achieve this include the synthesis of expertise based on integrating traditional knowledge with education and research initiatives, local engagement, the attraction of funding and the development of an appropriate model of governance. Such a model is essential in order to reconcile the sometimes conflicting operating and strategic requirements of the participating sectors and to achieve true synergies. While the study focussed on a specific location the ideas developed are adaptable to the unique profiles of other regions.
Included in
Optimising Gastronomic Heritage in a Peripheral Region
Peripheral regions and particularly island peripheral regions have many attractions as tourism destinations, not least their pleasing geographical settings and the sense of renewal which they can inspire. Such regions often face the challenges of seasonality, depletion of population, difficulty of access and infrastructure deficit. The objective of this exploratory study was to develop a model for the enhancement of the tourism product in a peripheral setting in Ireland. The work was undertaken in collaboration with the office of Udaras na Gaeltachta in the region. The approach was a) to scope the chosen location in terms of innate assets and unique selling points and b) to determine the interventions required to reformulate, market and manage those assets as an enhanced and sustainable tourism product. Preliminary observations were undertaken on the location regarding facilities, food produce, the landscape, the cultural heritage, arts and indigenous crafts, community engagement and the regions diaspora. The results led to the proposal for the enhancement of the tourism product through the promotion of local produce, products, culture and heritage in an innovative, supportive and synergistic environment involving the public, semi-state, private and academic sectors as key actors. The study also brought into focus the key demands of such participants. The format envisages a community centre style model in a co-dependency with external involvement and the stimulation of small scale local enterprise. The concept is based on maximising the latent potential of traditionality in food including any medicinal potential of local produce and on identifying and optimising the reach of cultural products. The model provides for education, research and training and for the operation of a commercial kitchen, a dining facility, food product development and incubator units, a craft workshop, a retail outlet and meeting rooms. The interventions identified to achieve this include the synthesis of expertise based on integrating traditional knowledge with education and research initiatives, local engagement, the attraction of funding and the development of an appropriate model of governance. Such a model is essential in order to reconcile the sometimes conflicting operating and strategic requirements of the participating sectors and to achieve true synergies. While the study focussed on a specific location the ideas developed are adaptable to the unique profiles of other regions.