A €159,000 project to upskill people working in the local tourism industry
was launched yesterday at Fort Dunree Visitor Centre
outside Buncrana.
The Atlantic Drift Skills Development Programme aims
to give tourism providers throughout the North West
the tools to make them among the best hosts in the
country.
Donegal Mayor, Cllr. Enda Bonner, said,” I believe
that County Donegal and the region as a whole, have
the best there is to offer on the island of Ireland
for the visitor.
"This project will ensure that the people on the
ground responsible for delivering the product will
have the necessary skills to ensure that visitors
come back to this part of the country time and time
again.”
His Limavady counterpart Cllr. Edwin Stephenson told
the launch party the project would underpin the
success of region's tourism industry in the long
term.
"The most important part of the tourism product is
its people," he said.
The project has already recruited over 150
participants from the private and public sector and
aims to upskill a further 300 people. In
collaboration with Letterkenny Institute of
Technology and Killybegs Tourism College, it will
also roll out the Failte Ireland-accredited
‘Marketing for Small Tourism Enterprises Course’.
Donegal County Council development officer, Kevin
O’Connor said the aim was to make the North West
among "the most highly skilled regions" on the
island of Ireland.
"It is essential that the quality of service
delivered to visitors not only meets their
expectations but exceeds them," he said.
A plan is in place to roll out e-commerce and
website management training to the small and
medium-sized tourism enterprise sector, from
September 2007. The project will also embark on a
skills development audit throughout the summer
months. This audit will attempt, for the first time,
to assess the current skills gaps in the cross
border region. |
