Westport named National Large Tourism Town

TOP FOR TOURISM Dermott Langan, Mayo County Council (left) and Cllr Michael Holmes (right) receiving the Best Large Tourism Town award from Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring at the FΡilte Ireland ceremony in Clontarf Castle Hotel, Dublin. Pic: Shane O'Neill/Copyright Fennell Photography 2014.


FΡilte Ireland Westport named National Large Tourism Town

Neill O’Neill

Westport is basking in national glory once again after being named Ireland’s top Large Tourism Town. Selected from a shortlist of ten for the prestigious FΡilte Ireland awarded accolade, this latest achievement comes on the back of the town’s many recent successes, which include being named Ireland’s Best Place to Live in 2012. The title also fits in well with one bestowed on neighbouring Erris earlier this year – Ireland’s Best Place to go Wild.
A delegation from Westport travelled to Dublin for the annual ceremony on Thursday, which was presided over by Tourism Minister Michael Ring - a native of the town. Kinsale in Cork took home the title of Ireland’s Best Small Tourism Town.
Westport and Kinsale were chosen from a shortlist of ten top tourism towns, with the remaining towns all receiving certificates of merit to acknowledge their own impressive performances in reaching out to visitors and creating the best possible tourism experiences.
Minister Ring congratulated Westport on winning the 2014 National Large Tourism Town title.
“Congratulations to Westport on what is a great achievement and worthy recognition for all that they in the town for Irish tourism,” he said.
“These awards are all about honouring the towns that put tourism at the centre of what they do. This is particularly evident with our winners, with both towns clearly embracing tourism and seizing the opportunities arising. I would like to commend both winners and all those communities that are represented at the awards.”   
The Tourism Towns Award was designed by FΡilte Ireland to promote Irish towns and villages that are working hardest to enhance their appeal to tourists visiting their local area. As the overall winners, Westport and Kinsale received a winning certificate along with a €5,000 grant towards further development as a tourism destination.