EU Sustainable Tourism Conference for West Cork – EDEN
Clonakilty’s Beautiful Beach
Clonakilty, West Cork has been chosen to host a major EU conference on tourism – to take place on February 24, 2009. This will be the first EU European Destinations of Excellence (EDEN) event that will be held outside of Brussels and will involve delegates from 19 different countries.
The three-day conference, organised by Fáilte Ireland, will take place in the Inchydoney Hotel and Spa and will focus on sustainable tourism initiatives and best practice. Case studies will be explored along with marketing initiatives for EDEN destinations at home and abroad and there will be a familiarisation of Clonakilty district.
Established last year, the EDEN initiative has organised awards to identify the best tourist destination in each member country to draw attention to the value, diversity and shared characteristics of European tourist destinations and to promote destinations where economic growth is pursued in such a way as to ensure the social, cultural and environmental sustainability of tourism.
The competition identified locations that implemented marketing initiatives with a better appreciation and preservation of their local, natural and cultural heritage, while also ensuring their destination’s social, cultural and environmental sustainability.
Clonakilty District was awarded the first Irish title of EDEN – Best Emerging Rural Tourism Destination in 2007. To win, Clonakilty demonstrated how they have managed to grow business in outlying communities through environmental education, local supports and training, the use of local produce, accommodation networks, innovation, product development, and town enhancements.
Chairman of Fáilte Ireland South West, Mr. Tim Dalton, emphasised that “to win the EDEN award last year was a great recognition of the dedication of the people of Clonakilty to sustainable tourism. I am delighted to see that this commitment has now been further rewarded with the decision to bring this major European event to the town.
“We, in Fáilte Ireland, will work very closely with Clonakilty District Chamber of Tourism to ensure that this conference is productive and to use it also as an opportunity to showcase the region to our European colleagues,†he added.
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