Senator Aisling Dolan - Strong Voice, New Vision.
Senator Aisling Dolan encouraged businesses and community groups to apply for tourism funding at a recent meeting in Gullanes Hotel on the Just Transition Fund as well as other supports.
If you have ideas about how to build up tourism in our area of the Hidden Heartlands linked to the Beara Breifne walking trail, tourism amenities, festivals in the area… now is the time to come together. We had a good crowd at our meeting in Gullanes Hotel interested in developing the potential of Ballinasloe and surrounding areas.
If you are a community group, could there be funding to improve walking trails and amenities? Could a vacant heritage building in your local area be repurposed?.
Are you a business - looking to improve accessible online booking for people with a disability or physical ramps to your premises? Would you consider log cabins, glamping, pods as an accommodation choice and improve availability of bed nights? It all means more people staying in the local area to discover adventures in the #hiddenheartlands
Funding is available for people thinking of additional income to come into a family farm or local business through offering bed-nights with shepherds Huts, glamping, pods and log cabins. Community groups can also apply to improve existing tourism attractions. Gift-shops, recreational businesses, hospitality could also apply for physical and digital accessibility measures – a new walk-in ramp, a wheelchair accessible toilet or how to improve the online booking system for people with a disability. This is available to anyone in the Ballinasloe MD area in Co. Galway e.g. Aughrim, Clontuskert, Ahascragh, Ballygar and Mountbellew and all of Co. Roscommon including Moore & Taughmaconnell.
People can submit an Expression of Interest with their idea now to Fáilte Ireland and help is available through the new Tourism Officer John Neary in Galway Co Council or Just Transition Activation Officer Gillian McGarry in Roscommon Co. Council. People can apply now and before deadline end of June 2024. Contact my office for further details.
The Local Enterprise Office Energy Efficiency fund is also a boost to all businesses with an increase in support planned for hospitality businesses such as cafés, restaurants, bars and hotels. Minimum €5,000 fund to help buy an A rated fridge, oven or to replace LED lighting on your premises. Find out more at localenterprise.ie
Deadline for Expression of Interests - June 2024
Category 1 – Development or Enhancement of Sustainable Visitor Experiences
Category 2 – Development of Sustainable Tourist Accommodation
Category 3 – Capital Project Planning & Design
Category 4 – Digital Transformation
Category 5 – Accessibility enhancements to provide a more inclusive visitor experience.
