Plean Turasoireachta Béal Átha

ActiveMe Tourism Media and Heritage Services
1 Introduction
Destination Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh
1.1 General
ActiveMe Tourism and Heritage Services are pleased to present the Destination Marketing Plan for the
West Cork village of Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh / Ballingeary. The objective of the overall Tourism
Marketing Plan is to promote the village and surrounding area as a consistent brand, increase the
socio-economic benefits of tourism in the area and provide an enhanced visitor experience. It also aims
to promote a greater sense of understanding of the history, heritage, folklore and culture in Ballingeary
by connecting with and placing the local people, business and farming communities of Ballingeary at
the core of the Marketing Plan.
This Plan is the first step towards building this unique tourism destination and outlines a clear and
practical vision to development the tourism potential of Ballingeary. As shown below, the study area
encapsulates the village, local lakes, rivers, mountains, attractions and more.
With major national marketing initiatives such as the Wild Atlantic Way encouraging tourism on a
signed route, it is critical that Ballingeary both piggyback on these promotions and also target those
tourist who look for ‘hidden gems’ and those ‘secrets places’ known only to locals and those lucky few
tourists who venture off the beaten track.
‘Sometimes wandering off the beaten track is what you need to make holiday memories’
Many of Irelands most scenic and most visited areas and attractions are within rural communities and
often do not benefit from tourism they create. Take for example the Cliffs of Moher and the Ring of
Kerry where visitor numbers are over 1.5 million annually. These are some of the most visited areas in
Ireland but overall the local spend per tourist is relatively low. Many visitors ‘pass by’ in their own car or
by tour bus on a day trip from a town or city and do not spend any money locally. Therefore, it is
important that Ballingeary not aim to attract as many tourists as possible but attract a type of tourist
who will stay longer and spend more locally.
With tourist behaviour changing fast as technology develops it is critical that you keep up and are not
left behind. Although this is a challenge, it also presents an opportunity for developing destinations to
compete with traditional tourism spots and some case lead the way by being at the forefront of
technology, SEO and google rankings providing what the tourists want and need both on the ground
and online.