A new survey of Irish-American attitudes has found that when given a list of things that attracted them most to their Irish heritage 33% picked Irish history, followed by 24% who identified Irish music.

Source: Council for American Irish Relations – polling was conducted between 24 – 28th January 2023 and the margin of error is 3.8%.

António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations makes the following observation:-

“As humankind faces a devastating pandemic and a triple planetary crisis – climate change, biodiversity loss and severe degradation of air, land and water – we need to end our war on nature and begin to act more holistically to secure the health of the species, ecosystem and resources with which we coexist and on which our survival depends.”

Against this background I found it very interesting from a tourism and recreation perspective to attend Venice Biennale 2021 and learned of two new fascinating sustainable trails.

The European Green Belt – The creation of a continuous conservation strip along the former border between Western Europe and Eastern Europe. The Green Belt is designed to serve as a recreational space for humans while supporting cross border animal migration underpinned by the highest quality environmental and biodiversity planning.

The World Park is a proposal for the creation of three walking trails and three tracts of ecologically restored land from Alaska to Patagonia, from Australia to Morocco, and from Namibia to Turkey.

This will enable biodiversity to migrate so as to adjust to climate change and also provide meaningful work and recreational opportunities for people.

All in all I am excited about the future of our planet and how we can live together.

Really enjoyed my afternoon at Russborough House and Parklands yesterday. Our clients, Russborough, are hosting a sculpture exhibition showcasing the works of leading Irish and International sculptors - this is the largest ever collection of Salvador Dali works to be shown in Ireland.

Tourism Development International have been shortlisted by the Irish Planning Institute for the Munster Vales Destination Project prepared on behalf of the Counties of Waterford, Tipperary, Cork and Limerick.

The study was designed to assess and evaluate the market acceptability of a combined and integrated tourism and recreation identity for the area.

The project has now been developed under the brand of Munster Vales with the strategic plan guiding the work of the Destination Manager.

The Munster Vales are now promoted as a signature brand under the wider Ireland’s Ancient East brand.

The Irish Planning Institute is the all-island body for professional planners engaged in physical, spatial and environmental planning in Ireland.

The Irish Planning Institute seeks, through the Irish Planning Awards, to highlight innovation and achievement in Irish planning. The Awards acknowledge the diverse range of plans and projects on a national and international basis taking place in complex and dynamic environments.

In April of 2016, the Tourism Industry Association of Prince Edward Island, Canada (TIAPEI), on behalf of the tourism industry, awarded the contract to develop a comprehensive five year strategic plan for tourism on PEI. Tourism Development International was selected from a number of candidates who submitted proposals, in large part due to a desire to engage a qualified firm with broad experience to offer a fresh perspective on our existing tourism product. The purpose of the strategy was to identify the actual and perceptual barriers facing Prince Edward Island’s tourism industry, and recommend innovative strategies and actions that would focus stakeholder attentions on the key issues, challenges and opportunities. I am pleased to say that TDI was very successful in guiding a process that achieved the desired outcome.

Working with a Steering Committee representing industry stakeholders with an invested interest, Provincial and Federal Government representatives and members of the TIAPEI Board of Directors, TDI led industry members through the most extensive consultation process ever undertaken on PEI. Through focus groups, public forums, surveys and direct feedback, as well as study of research studies, empirical data and best practices from other regions they were able to guide industry through a process that provided achievable short term goals and a long term flagship project, all based on five main pillars. The TDI team members ensured they engaged with tourism operators of all sizes and sectors and travelled throughout Prince Edward Island to experience first-hand the existing product and services. The Steering Committee strongly believe TDI went to great lengths to familiarize themselves with the leadership, product and geographic opportunities available across the province and based their conclusions on this these factors and extensive past experience as tourism planners.

We are pleased to note that, one year into the five year plan, the tourism industry on PEI and our Government partners have been able to implement a number of the short term product development initiatives identified by TDI and have made significant progress on some of the more detailed long term goals. 2017 marked the fourth consecutive year of notable growth in both visitation and revenues generated and we feel, by following the strategy and roadmap identified by TDI, there is every reason to believe the targets and outcomes found in Vision 2021 are achievable.

Dianne Bishop
Executive Assistant & Board Secretary - TIAPEI
Phone: (902) 566-5008
Fax: (902) 368 – 3605
dbishop@tiapei.pe.ca
www.tiapei.pe.ca

COMCEC has commissioned Tourism Development International (TDI) to carry out a study on Risk & Crisis Management in the Tourism Sector: Recovery from Crisis in the Member Countries. The study will focus on risk and crisis management in the tourism sector to provide background on the formal government processes for member countries and to identify and examine issues of risk management.

The specific objectives of the study are as follows:

To show how the tourism sectors of countries have been affected by crises;
To present strategies for OIC Member States to deal with risks and crises in the tourism sector;
To identify crisis management tools (from the Government side) which are relevant to the tourism industry;
To identify the main challenges in implementing measures to reduce the effects of crises and lessons learned from other countries in recent years.

David Mac Nulty, Director/Partner at Tourism Development International is a guest speaker at the International Congress of Religious Shrine Cities, Fátima.

Religious tourism is a growing sector and David will be presenting a paper entitled 'Excellence and Innovation in Pilgrimage and Religious Tourism'. Other guest speakers at this conference include:

• Teresa Ferreira (Tourism of Portugal)
• Vítor Coutinho – Vice Rector of the Shrine of Fatima (Portugal)
• Juan Castillo Hernández – Shrine of Guadalupe (México)
• Segundo Leonardo Pérez López – Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela (Spain)
• Yusuf Yavas – Municipality of Selçuk (Turkey)
• António Barroso – Municipality of Braga (Portugal)
• Costanzo Cascavilla – Mayor of San Giovanni Rotondo (Italy)
• Julian Latorre Herreda – Mayor of Guadalajara de Buga (Colombia)
• Municipality of Czestochowa (Poland)
• Paolo Niccoletti – Mayor of Loreto (Italy)
• Graça Poças Santos (Polytechnic Institute of Leiria - Portugal )
• Jin Yung Woo – General Secretary Advisor for Tourism and Culture (UNWTO)
• Ricardo Faria – Tourism Secretary of Minas Gerais (Brasil)
• Pedro Machado (Turismo do Centro)
• Herbert Hofauer – Mayor of Altötting (Germany)
• Pepe Guzman Velásquez - Turismo Trifinio Project (Guatemala)
• Bruno Vinuales - Cluster Tourisme et Espiritualité - Atout France (France)
• Héctor Palencia Rubio - Municipality of Ávila (Spain)
• Stefano Dominioni – Director of the European Institute of Cultural Route (Luxembourg)

Tourism Development International are currently part of a multi-disciplinary team preparing a masterplan for Knock Shrine, Ireland's national Marian shrine.

Tourism Development International also act as tourism advisors to Kylemore Abbey, Connemara, Ireland.

As a tourism planner, it’s great to see recommendations being implemented. In January 2016, TDI presented the Algarve Tourism Products Assessment and Development Action Plan on behalf of ANA Aeroportos de Portugal, Turismo de Portugal and Turismo do Algarve.

See new Aer lingus campaign.

Very effective example of re-positioning the Algarve as an activity holiday destination with particular focus on walking and cycling.

Following the preparation of the Algarve Tourism Products Assessment and Development Action Plan by Tourism Development International on behalf of ANA Aeroportos de Portugal, we are pleased to report progress with the implementation of the report findings.

New Bike Assemble Area at Faro Airport

In order to support the Cycling & Walking tourism sector sustainability, improving Faro Airport's passengers experience and fulfilling the demanding needs of this new product in the Algarve, three areas with equipments to mount and dismount the bicycles were created: the first is located in the public area of the check-in hall and the other two are placed in the luggage collection area. This initiative, that is supported by ANA Aeroportos de Portugal and the Faro Airport, integrates the Cycling & Walking Program — Algarve 2016-2019, launched in March by Turismo de Portugal, Região de Turismo do Algarve, ATA and AMAL.

Tourism Development International's (TDI) February 2015 newsletter reports on how international
tourism has maintained a rate of growth above the average rate of global economic growth for the fifth year in a row.

We see how more and more governments around the world recognise the importance of tourism’s contribution to their economic growth.

We examine the importance of broadening the range and heightening the quality, of experiences offered by destinations and facilitated by travel suppliers in sustaining this momentum. 

The focus of this issue, then, is on Tourism Product Development, since it is the range of products and services available that lead tourists to choose one destination over another. Tourists are demanding things to do and see that meet all their increased expectations stimulated by electronic and other media – in other words “more and better”.

The challenge for destinations and travel operators is, first and foremost, to develop products and services that are in line with these expectations but also in order to stand out from their competitors to be innovative in designing their offerings and highly focused in communicating them to their target markets. 

Download a copy of Around the Globe February 2015

 Nepal is certainly one of the most beautiful countries I have had the pleasure of visiting, either in a personal or professional capacity. The country is at the early stage of the Tourism Life Cycle with most international visitor activity concentrated in Kathmandu, Pokhera and a number of other centres. The growth in International tourism, particularly in the Asia region, will inevitably bring its own challenges .

These images are a reminder of the fragile nature of Nepal’s unique environment and cultural heritage. In our work as tourism consultants, we are acutely aware that we have a duty of care to ensure that strategies and plans prepared for developing countries such as Nepal are based on sustainable and responsible development principles.

 The first quarter of 2014 has seen a busy start to the year for TDI with participation in three significant tourism events.

Tourism Development International's (TDI) September 2013 newsletter reports on how international tourism has sustained its growth in the first half of 2013, and examines how tourists are getting out and about to access their chosen destination’s natural and cultural heritage, thereby providing more product and experience development for tourism operators.

Download a Copy of Around the Globe - September 2013

Previous Editions of Around the Globe

March 2013

November 2012