Kilkenny Tourism agree robust plans to override the economic  slowdown

The Board of Directors of Kilkenny Tourism agreed a robust plan that will focus on four main areas to drive and increase tourism in 2009. The plan which focuses on a strong co-operative and Integrated Marketing approach from the Hotels, other sectors and partner agencies is set to deliver new results for Kilkenny.

The four cornerstones of the plan include:

• Hotels and sector marketing
• Web development and online marketing
• Public Relations
• Funding accessability

 

Kilkenny, unlike many other counties is largely dependent on Tourism and the services sector. Heretofore, it has largely positioned itself as a Leisure destination but at the end of 2008 the shift was to reposition Kilkenny as a joint 'Business and Leisure Destination'. As a result of co-operation between the hotels who all wish to target conferences and incentive business for Kilkenny, the county and city are entering 2009 with a mission to establish Kilkenny as a conference destination to Failte Ireland, Tourism Ireland Offices overseas and the Corporate world with International influence who have offices based in Ireland.

To date people associate conferences in Ireland with Dublin, Belfast or Kilarney. The reality is that Kilkenny is as good as any of the others and is far more central. The location is well services by Iarnrod Eireann and we need to inform and re-educate those who are marketing Ireland that Kilkenny is within easy access to Dublin, Cork and Waterford airports. We cannot allow the lack of an airport to prohibit progress.

All sectors have been targeted to promote and market in line with hotel promotions in particular in the form of packages, online campaigns and giveaways. This will be facilitated by Welcome Marketing for Kilkenny Tourism.

The Local Authority who sponsor www.Kilkenny.ie, the tourism website driving business to the county, have secured financial support for a new improved and redesigned site for Kilkenny. It is hoped to improve navigation, content, design and the social networking aspect of the site. Online bookings coming through the Kilkenny site now represents a high percentage of business to the hotels and online accommodation and this is set to grow at an unprecedented rate over the coming year.

The Public Relations Role for Kilkenny Tourism is to ensure communication is ongoing to both the industry within Kilkenny and to the trade who may be in a position to deliver business into Kilkenny. A new approach will be taken with ezines, email alerts and updates to allow various databases of people to be kept informed of what is going on in Kilkenny regularly.

Welcome Marketing who have assisted Kilkenny to date will continue to attract funds to Tourism on behalf of Kilkenny Tourism. To date for 2009, €200,000 has been secured for Kilkenny via Failte Ireland, Local Authority contributions and the local Industry. Kilkenny 400 have added an additional €250,000 into the melting marketing pot for Kilkenny. Additional funding is still expected via Klkenny LEADER, and the County Enterprise Board. This will be a robust Domestic campaign in 2009 in an attempt to ensure Kilkenny Tourism keep their ranking over the coming tough twelve months.

2009 Marketing activities include:

• National Radio exposure for Kilkenny
• PR
• Reprint and redesign of County Guide, maps , conference brochure
• Attendance at over 20 consumer shows in 2009 - primarily focusing on the domestic and UK markets
• Redesign and relaunch of new look website, www.kilkenny.ie
• Google PPC advertising
• Personal column advertising - Irish Times, Irish Independent and Evening Herald
• Sponsorship and competitions National exposure
• Attendance at Trade shows - Meitheal, failte Ireland workshops etc
• Hosting of familiarisation trips aimed at Conference and Leisure markets
• Working in partnership with Failte Ireland to ensure Kilkenny is positioned as a secondary conference hub for Business Tourism.

 

The new Chair of Kilkenny Tourism, John Cleere, said, "It is going to be a tough year but if we all work together and refer business to each other, we can help trade our way out of this situation. It is in all our interests to ensure Kilkenny stays top of the popularity charts for domestic tourism but we also now need to look further afield and attract overseas markets in a targeted manner in greater numbers and the web can help us score points here. We need everyone to embrace the web and send us as much information as possible that may be of any interest - however slight."

The Board of Kilkenny Tourism meet monthly and any suggestions that you wish brought to their attention can be forwarded to lisa.bourke@kilkennycoco.ie