Support Scheme launched to assist Tourism Recovery in Gaeltacht areas

Údarás na Gaeltachta has launched a support scheme worth €720,000 to support the recovery of the tourism sector in the Gaeltacht. The Tourism Officer Management Development scheme will focus on the strategic development of the sector to assist with post pandemic recovery. The focus of the scheme will be on tourism projects that will have a significant role in the development of various Gaeltacht areas.

Financial support of €60,000, over a period of two years, will be made available under the scheme as training supports for the employment of tourism officers in two types of tourism project:

• Community Based Visitor Centres, and
• Community Based Tourism Networks.

 A fund of €720,000 is associated with the scheme which will support 12 projects that will be assessed following this competitive open call. The scheme is directed at increasing skills and capabilities in the community based tourism sector and hence the scheme is limited to eligible community based/not for profit organisations. Scheme details and criteria are available at www.udaras.ie for applications to be submitted before 18 February 2022.

Launching the scheme Mícheál Ó hÉanaigh, Chief Executive Officer, Údarás na Gaeltachta commented:

“The strategic development of tourism in the Gaeltacht is one of the priorities outlined in our new Strategic Plan for the 2021-2025 period. The aim of the scheme is to support the development of strategic tourism projects and we are very happy with the success of the pilot project which has preceded the scheme since 2018. Successful projects will assist the development of the community based tourism potential and will also support the recovery of the tourism sector in the Gaeltacht.”