Mid-west pins hopes on tourism strategy

FOLLOWING a big drop in visitors last year, a new strategy to market the mid-west as a tourism destination will be launched next week.

Shannon Development, the tourism authority for Limerick, Clare, north Tipperary and south Offaly, will unveil its plans at an industry briefing being in conjunction with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland on January 21.

John King, tourism director at Shannon Development, said: “As a result of the full implementation of open skies, the impact of the loss of the Shannon-Heathrow air link and the currency weakness against the euro, overall visitor numbers in the Shannon region will show a decrease in 2008.