Anton McNulty
GREATER co-operation and unity between all people working in the tourism industry in Achill is needed in order to attract people to the island and sell the Achill brand.
The call was made by Mr Kenneth Deery, Chairperson of Achill Tourism, who was addressing last week’s Annual General Meeting of the organisation, at which he outlined his vision for tourism on the island in the future. He explained that voluntary activity in developing festivals and events had lapsed among people on the island over the last decade and if no action is taken the tourism industry and its spin-offs will lapse further.
He added that the competition and unhealthy rivalry between stakeholders involved in the tourism industry in Achill was not helpful and called on people to be supportive of each other.
“To the people of this community, I would call for one key thing: that we as communities, as businesses, as committees be more supportive of each other. There is, and I say it honestly, on occasion an element of unhealthy rivalry between such stakeholders. Instead of working together for a common benefit, there is an element of attempting to undermine each other – a fractured approach where there should be a supporting approach. An element of waiting for someone to make a mistake so that they can be the butt of a joke as opposed to engaging and helping them,” he said.
Mr Padraig Ó hAolain, CEO of Údarás na Gaeltachta, also attended the AGM and his commitment to Achill was acknowledged by Mr Deery, with €90,000 was sanctioned for Achill Tourism for the coming three years.
Mr Deery said that a meeting on the state of tourism on the island held last July highlighted the need for people to be realistic in what they can achieve and attract to the area and he called for greater solidarity between Fáilte Ireland and Achill Tourism.
“There were key findings which have been topped and tailed a bit over and over again since last July, however our simple and straightforward strategic plan for the coming three years is a fair and realistic representation of what can be achieved in that timeframe. I say realistic for a very good reason; if we take no action, then the industry that is tourism and all the tertiary activities spinning out of that will lapse further, which is not acceptable in this ever-challenging market.”
Mr Deery praised the work of the staff of Achill Tourism and welcomed its new Manager, Helen Applegarth, who he said had 14 years experience in the financial sector in the UK. He said she had the ability to change and restructure the organisation, along with the competence to deliver on the objectives as outlined in the three-year strategic plan.
