Munster Vales Rock of Cashel • Market Research • Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland, Ireland’s Ancient East • County Strategies – Waterford, Cork and Tipperary • Regional Strategies – Munster Vales Feasibility Study & Ballyhoura • Workshops in Cahir, Bruff & Dungarvan • Market Analysis • Key Markets – Domestic, UK, Germany with US & France • Market Segments • Domestic – Walkers, Cyclists, Over 55s, Connected Families, Footloose Socialisers • Overseas - Culturally Curious, Great Escapers Lough Gur Marketing Plan The Process? • Munster Vales and Ireland’s Ancient East proposal • Get to know each other • Their Destinations & Munster Vales • Packages, Bundles & Itineraries • Favourite Visitor Attractions • Hidden Gems • Great local stories • Creating ‘wow’ Itineraries to sell their story, experiences, attractions & Munster Vales Well over 50% of all the information contained in the final 3 proposed ‘Big Win’ Visitor Experience Bundles originated from the itineraries, suggestions, information and stories gathered from attendees The Workshops Key Overseas Markets Lough Gur What Do They Like To Do? Lough Gur Key Influencers? Lough Gur Our Domestic Market Priority Global Customer Segments? Culturally Curious & Great Escapers Target Sales Message? • 5,000 years of European history in a compact, accessible area • Stories told by the greatest storytellers in the world • It’s easy to take it all in » To go at your own pace • To dip in or delve in » To meet great people • And to enjoy unique and diverse places that have inspired for thousands of years Priority Markets? • Great Britain & North America • Germany & France Lough Gur Ireland’s Ancient East? • Domestic Market – Full direct access & travel practically all year round • Great Britain – our largest source of overseas visitors. Key access – Rosslare, Dublin Ports, Waterford, Cork & Shannon Airports • Germany – our largest Mainland Europe market. Key access - Waterford (onward connections through London Luton), Cork, Kerry, Shannon & Dublin Airports • US – key with diaspora links and are avid touring visitors • France – our second largest Mainland Europe market. Ports Cork & Rosslare & Cork, Shannon, Waterford (connections through London Luton) & Dublin Lough Gur Munster Vales Key Markets? Domestic: Walkers, Cyclists, Over 55s, Footloose Socialisers & Connected Families • Walkers: Mountaineering Ireland’s membership (2015 ) numbered 11,500, with 184 clubs and 1,400 individual members • Cyclists: Since 2009, membership of Cycling Ireland has grown from 5,600 to 23,000 in 2014. Clubs grown from 174 to 398 • Over 55s: Active Retirement Ireland (ARI) membership of over 24,500 - 550 local associations. Growth of 30% in 4 years Footloose Socialisers: • Authentic & interesting surroundings • Go off the beaten track, meet the locals & get under the skin • Good food & drink; Interested in the history & culture Connected Families: create family memories thatLough remind Gur them of their own childhood Domestic Market Segments? Culturally Curious • What are they most likely to be seen doing? • Exploring small towns & villages, experiencing history & culture simultaneously • Exploring landscapes – Megalithic or early Christian relics • In castles, gardens, museums, country houses & art galleries • UNESCO sites, visitor centres, browsing for books to deepen their experience • Enjoying good food & wine, particularly local specialities • Unique local festivals &and events • Walking, cycling or pleasure boating to explore a new place • Talking to locals to get a different take on the story of a place Overseas Market Segments? Great Escapers What are they most likely to be seen doing? • Enjoying the beauty of breath-taking landscapes • Visiting the coastline • Exploring remote & exciting landscape through walking or cycling • Standing together on the top of a mountain or cliff • Visiting a castle or landmark • Enjoying relaxing meals with local produce or a lovely evening in an authentic pub Overseas Market Segments? 3 Year Marketing Plan Start on Our Doorstep with You! • Become a part of the Munster Vales Identity – promote MV LOGO on your Traditional & Digital marketing • Use the BUNDLES & Itineraries in your Marketing Materials e.g. Websites, Enquiry Responses, Email signatures, Brochures, Social Media, Promotions • CREATE YOUR OWN and modify the MVs Bundles & Itineraries to suit your business and add to Munster Vales • PROMOTE IT to your families, neighbours, guests, trade, press – Talk it up! • CLUSTERING of Experiences within your Destination • Get people to STAY in your area and the Munster Vales – longer dwell time Where & How Do We Market the Munster Vales? Promotions Digital PR Domestic Media Advertising Direct Sponsorship Tour Operators Marketing Marketing Materials Rock of Cashel, Tipperary Marketing Plan Core Elements Identity Brochure's Awareness Social Media Maps Promotion Tourism Content – PR & Media Website Photos, Text & More Rock of Cashel, Tipperary Outline Action Plan Year 1 Tourist want Unique, Interesting & Authentic Local Experiences Tourist Want Stories & Hidden Gems and Local Recommendations Tourists need your valuable Local Knowledge to inspire them Weave Stories into a set of Itineraries Lough Gur Visitor Experience Itineraries Potential National Benchmark for Irelands Ancient East INPUT USP’s / Theme Workshop's Galtee Experiences Knockmealdown Research Stories Comeragh Slievenamon Statistics History 1st Workshop Steering Grp. Heritage Walking I A E Cycling Driving Food 2nd Workshop 3rd Workshop Hidden Gems BALLYHOURA Comeragh 1st Set for Year 1 Process of Building Visitor Experience Itineraries Adopt and Promote these 1st x3 Bundles & partner with other Businesses Big Opportunity: Munster Vales & Ireland's Ancient East can then help you with marketing and promotion – ‘piggyback’ Inclusive, not Exclusive – Drafts purposefully contain too many places to visit each day Keep Story/Theme - modify to suit you! adapt itineraries to feature your businessLough Gur Visitor Experience Itineraries Potential National Benchmark for Irelands Ancient East Weave Stories into an Itinerary Slievenamon Galtee Mountain of the Women Story of Fionn and Grainne Valley of Oisín Seefin Mountain Glenosheen BALLYHOURA Comeragh Seefin Mountain Seat of Finn Seat of Fionn mac Cumhaill Seefin Mountain Nagle Seefin Mountain In the footsteps of the Fianna Lough Gur Tipperary Bruff Day 2 Bansh a Day 1 Glen of Aherlow Kilmallo ck Galtee Mtns. Charlevill e Kilfinnan Galtymore e Ballyhoura Mtns. Mitchelstown Caves Mitchelsto wn Butteva nt Day 3 Doneraile NP Ballyhass Lakes Munster Vales Experiences ‘In the Footsteps of the Fianna’ Lough Gur Tipperary Bruff Day 2 Bansh a Day 1 Glen of Aherlow Kilmallo ck Galtee Mtns. Charlevill e Kilfinnan Galtymore e Ballyhoura Mtns. Mitchelstown Caves Mitchelsto wn Butteva nt Day 3 Doneraile NP Ballyhass Lakes Castletownroc he Fermoy ‘In the Footsteps of the Fianna’ Weave Stories into an Itinerary Castles from Wave to Vale Cash Rock of Cashel el Fethard Walled Town Day 2 Slievenamon Mtn Clonm Cahir Castle el Carrick-on- Galtee Mtns Ormonde Castle Suir Curraghmore Cloghee n Nire Valley Coumshingaun Lake Waterfor Knockmealdown Mtns The Vee d Comeragh Mtns Mahon Falls Day 3 Day 1 Lismore Castle Dungarv Copper Coast Geopark an Dungarvan Castle Munster Vales Experiences ‘Castles from Wave to Vale’ Rock of Cashel Rath na Drinne Day 1 Cahir Castle Clonmel Galtee Mtns Swiss Cottage Day 2 Cloghee Nire Valley n Knockmealdown Mtns The Vee Comeragh Mtns Day 3 Cappoqui n Lismore Castle Munster Vales Experiences ‘St. Declans Way Pilgrim Trail’ Rock of Lough Gur N24 Cashel LIMERICK Tipperary N74 Hore Abbey Bruff Old Ways Museum Rath Na Drinne Slievenamuck Mtns Fethard N20 Knocklong N24 Walled Slievenamon Mtn Knockgraffon Town Glen of Motte Kilmallock Aherlow Lisvarriane N76 Galtee Mtns Giants Grave Ballylanders Galtymore (919m) Cahir Castle Charleville Ardpatrick N24 Clonmel Round Kilfinnane Griston Bog N24 Carrick-on-suir Tower Swiss Cottage St. M8 Ormonde Ballyhoura Mtns Patricks R670 R665 Well Castle Ardfinnan Mountain Mitchelstown Curraghmore Bike Trails Cave N20 Comeragh Mtns House & Clogheen Ballymacarbry Gardens Nire Valley Mitchelstown R665 Coumshingaun Buttevant N73 The Vee Lake Kildorrery R668 Mahon Falls & Doneraile NP Magic Road Labbacallee Knockmealdown Mtns N20 Wedge Tomb N73 Castletownroche Nano Nagle Centre M8 Mount Lismore Melleray Mallow N25 N72 Castle N72 Cappoquin Fermoy Lismore Copper Deise Coast Drive KILLARNEY N72 N72 Greenway Nagle Mtns Dungarvan CORK Irelands Ancient East Discovery Point Scenic Day Drives Waymarked Walks DrivingDriving DistancesDistances Places of Interest Comeragh Drive - 115km (70miles) St Declans Way (100km) Dublin to Cashel = 170km/1.75 hrs Scenic View points Butler Trail - 95km (60miles) Ballyhoura Way (90km) part of Beara Breifne Way (500km) Rosslare to Dungarvan = 115km /1.5hrs Copper Coast Drive - 165km (100miles) Multeen Way (23km) part of Beara Breifne Way (500km) Cork to Fermoy = 40km/0.5 hrs Loop Walk Start Points (approx) Suir Valley Drive – 130km (80miles) East Munster Way (75km) part of E8 European Route Limerick to Lough Gur = 20km/0.5 hrs Avondhu Way (95km) part of Blackwater Way and E8 Glen of Aherlow Loop – 95km (60miles) Mallow to Carrick-on-suir = 100km/1.5hr The Vee Drive - 80km (50miles) South Leinster Way (105km) and part of E8 Mountains & Walking Areas Ballyhoura Drive - 125km (75miles) Tipperary Heritage Way (56km) Lough Gut to Dungarvan = 100km/1.5hrs Sli Finn Drive – 30km (20miles) Deise Greenway (25km) Dungarvan (Open