County Kildare Walking Routes Project - Kildare.ie
County Kildare Walking Routes Project - Kildare.ie
County Kildare Walking Routes Project - Kildare.ie
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<strong>County</strong> <strong>Kildare</strong> <strong>Walking</strong> <strong>Routes</strong> <strong>Project</strong><br />
Table 3: Indicative Annual Promotional Budget for <strong>Walking</strong> <strong>Routes</strong> in <strong>Kildare</strong><br />
1 Advertising (local radio, newspapers)<br />
(€)<br />
15,000<br />
2 Sponsorship of Events (contribution to private sector co-sponsorship) 10,000<br />
3 Media Management (in partnership with Regional Tourism Authority) 15,000<br />
4 Promotional Material (update and re printing of existing material in partnership 20,000<br />
with RTA)<br />
5 Updating of Information (website maintenance by part time IT officer) 10,000<br />
6 Market research and result distribution (in association with e.g. NUIM) 10,000<br />
TOTAL € 80,000<br />
5.3 Monitoring & Evaluation of Impact<br />
The monitoring and evaluation of the walking routes should be part of an overall<br />
management plan that is part the ongoing work plan of the county council engineering<br />
department.<br />
The success of the activit<strong>ie</strong>s above will depend on the contribution of agenc<strong>ie</strong>s and<br />
government departments outside the control of <strong>Kildare</strong> <strong>County</strong> Council. Furthermore base<br />
line data such as current usage of walking routes is not available to measure future<br />
success. Other indicators will have to be found. Failte Ireland attitude surveys to walking,<br />
local market surveys (e.g. periodic questionnaires at Donadea Forest Park and other high<br />
profile locations), number of walking enquir<strong>ie</strong>s to <strong>Kildare</strong> Failte Office and other tourism<br />
information centres in <strong>Kildare</strong>, surveys among service providers (e.g. accommodation<br />
providers), sales statistics from walking equipment suppl<strong>ie</strong>rs, entrance fees to forest parks<br />
and publication sales, level of funding to walking related projects and level of media<br />
publicity generated (press cuttings file) are some of the indicators that could be used.<br />
The most cost effective means of monitoring and evaluating the impact of the strategy<br />
activit<strong>ie</strong>s is to form a relationship with a marketing college that will carry out an annual<br />
survey developed in partnership with <strong>Kildare</strong> <strong>County</strong> Council as part of its teaching<br />
programme.<br />
5.4 Individual Development Plans and Marketing Strategy<br />
A Development Plan and Promotional Strategy for the top ten of the highest scoring walks<br />
are provided below.<br />
Donadea Forest Park (W1): This route received the highest score of 196 out of a<br />
potential total of 250 (78%).<br />
The Forest Park has significant visitor numbers and could be further developed to increase<br />
its amenity and heritage value to local, regional and international visitors. The<br />
Development Plan should address the following:<br />
1. The walled garden could be developed as an additional visitor attraction with an<br />
associated garden centre shop. At Strokestown House in Co. Roscommon the<br />
nineteenth century walled garden on the estate was successfully refurbished as a<br />
CSA <strong>Project</strong> 3419 15