Minister Ring Launches a Sustainable Tourism Action Plan for Mulranny
On Friday, 31st October last Michael Ring, Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport launched a “Sustainable Tourism Action Plan” for Mulranny. The Launch took place in The Mulranny Park Hotel and was attended by community members, local tourism services providers and local County Councillors.
The Plan was devised with the assistance of Peter Krahenbuhl, a Sustainable Travel Consultant, through an inclusive participatory process. This involved consultation with local relevant stakeholders, including Mulranny Communities Futures Steering Committee, Tourism Committee and Mulranny’s local tourism related businesses. The process was supported through the Mayo Rural Alliances Programme in conjunction with Mayo County Council.
On the night Michael Hughes, Chairperson of Mulranny Community Futures, said that the plan is intended as a tool to help Mulranny more effectively support a sustainable, vibrant, and interconnected tourism base that complements its existing local economy. He thanked everybody involved in creating the plan, including Mayo County Council who had invited Mulranny to participate in the Rural Alliance Programme, an EU funded programme which aims to support and develop rural communities. Mary Wrafter from Mayo County Council congratulated the Mulranny Community for creating a targeted working document with clear quantifiable goals and action items that will enable Mulranny to work with its primary stakeholders in order to best support and benefit from tourism in the future.
Peter Krahenbuhl stated that Mulranny has an enviable opportunity to implement this plan by allocating its human, natural and marketing resources in innovative ways. He believes that Mulranny is in a unique position to take advantage of its incredible natural, cultural and historic assets, in particular the beauty of Clew Bay, The Great Western Greenway, its proximity to Westport and Achill Island and its enviable position on The Wild Atlantic Way. He went on to state that years of groundwork has enabled Mulranny to be in this great position and encouraged the community to continue to work together to seize the great opportunities that lie ahead.
The development of Marine Access was identified on the list of actions within the Plan as the number one priority for the Community. Minister Ring acknowledged that Pier and Marine Development would open up new markets and opportunities for Mulranny with associated recreational activities. He also recognised and thanked the huge volunteerism ethos throughout the country as well as in Mulranny where he said it was very evident contributing to the great strides that Mulranny has taken over the last number of years.
Another priority identified within this action plan is the upgrading of existing and development of new Walking and Cycling Trails – namely, ‘The Mulranny Way’ and ‘ The Grainne Uaile Trail’. These Trail and Marine Development proposals have been submitted by Mulranny Tourism Group to Mayo County Council to be included in the Council’s Tourism Strategy.