Fáilte Ireland €5.3m drive to make the most of Coillte sites for visitors

COILLTE and Fáilte Ireland are setting an example for rural communities and farmers to develop recreational facilities and amenities that are attractive to both domestic and overseas visitors.

They recently unveiled a €5.3 million investment, providing state-of-the-art outdoor recreation facilities for walkers and cyclists across the country.

Funded by Fáilte Ireland, it is delivering 250km of walking, hiking and biking trails to the highest standard.

These are located at 34 sites across the country. Existing trails are being upgraded and new ones constructed.

New signage at these sites will also increase public awareness of the access to the countryside that Coillte lands provide.

Forest-related tourism and recreation in Coillte’s forests generate an estimated €268m of economic activity for the rural economy every year

Forestry Minister Mary Wallace said the company is delivering a range of public benefits on its land from recreation to biodiversity management.

Recreational tourism has significant benefits in terms of rural development as changes in agriculture mean rural economies will need to look at new sources of income.

Forests, in particular those owned by Coillte, provide a significant potential resource for delivering the infrastructure to support such developments.

Coillte has 11 forest parks and more than 150 recreational sites throughout the country, while it also manages moer than 52% of all off-road national trails.

Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Minister Éamon Ó Cuív said Coillte has a key role in facilitating access to countryside recreation, with positive health and economic benefits for both our rural and urban communities.

“I consider the development of the rural tourism sector to be a key factor in ensuring the improved economic well-being of rural areas,” he said.

“Fáilte Ireland figures show that in 2001, numbers of overseas visitors to Ireland participating in hiking /walking were at 213,000. In 2006 this figure had risen to 335,000.

“This shows that the tourists are coming and it is important for us to provide high-standard facilities to ensure that they come back,” he added.

Coillte chief executive David Gunning said many of Coillte’s forests are in beautiful locations, making them a wonderful resource and a great place to walk and hike.

“Over 18 million visitors per year visit Coillte recreational areas and we are delighted to be working with Fáilte Ireland and other stakeholders to improve and expand the available infrastructure of walking, hiking, multi-access and long-distance trails.

“We hope to continue to provide recreation to users that is environmentally and socially sustainable but we must also ensure that this valuable contribution is recognised and its management resourced into the future,” he said

Paul Keeley, marketing director of Fáilte Ireland, said it was delighted to have been able to fund the initiative and to work in partnership with Coillte to deliver a very positive development in relation to outdoor recreation and Ireland’s tourism product.

“Fáilte Ireland is currently working to maximise the potential of Ireland’s excellent walking routes and to take advantage of the increasing interest in walking holidays from both Ireland and abroad.

“The development of our walking product is extremely important in helping to increase the volume of tourists to the regions.

“Over 93% of walkers visit areas outside of Dublin and they also tend to stay longer than the average tourist,” he said.

Coillte’s new Outdoors website, www.coillteoutdoors.ie allows anyone interested in outdoor recreation in Ireland to research and plan activities around the country from their computer, providing maps and information on the different types of trails people can visit.