‘All eyes are on Tipperary’

Tourism social media attracts 21 million views

The Premier County is proving an increasingly popular destination for prospective visitors, Tipperary Tourism has found.

“All eyes are on Tipperary,” Tourism Development Officer Marie Phelan told a local authority meeting last week. She revealed that the county tourism company has had some 21 million views across its social media platforms. Ms Phelan outlined an impressive post reach on Tipperary Tourism's Facebook page, and also on the likes of Instagram, Flickr and Vimeo.

In a detailed presentation to members of Nenagh Municipal District, Ms Phelan also spoke of the website, digital, PR, radio, brochure and other marketing strategies for Tipperary Tourism in 2022. With Forbes including the Rock of Cashel among its global ‘10 Coolest Places To Go In The Next 10 Years’, she expected spinoff for the rest of the county and said there is lots to look forward regarding local tourism in the times ahead.

Cllr Séamie Morris congratulated Tipperary Tourism on its social media activity, which he described as “quite incredible”.

He said the success of this activity is evidenced in visitor numbers in the area.

Cllr Joe Hannigan welcomed the coordinated structure for promoting tourism in Tipperary. He said it is unfortunate that the pandemic and war in Ukraine have presented obstacles to realising the full potential of this promotion.

Cllr John Carroll said there used to be local “teach cheoils” involving traditional Irish musicians playing at weekends. These are experiencing a resurgence in Co Clare and would be a great means of broadening the tourism remit in Tipperary, he suggested.

Cathaoirleach Cllr Michael O'Meara spoke of “exciting times” for Tipperary tourism with the extension of the Ireland's Hidden Heartlands initiative into Lower Ormond. The local district did not previously have the critical mass to create a “tourism package” but now it does with the promotional link between the likes of Birr Castle and Lough Boora in Co Offaly, and Lower Ormond's historical sites and Lough Derg.

He asked how the local tourism offering has changed as a result of the pandemic.

Ms Phelan said the emphasis was very much on outdoor activities. Visitors were interested in the likes of hiking, 5k walking loops and getting out on the lake. Tipperary Tourism sought to make such activities more accessible by way of providing practical information, such as booking and cost information as well as maps.

Previously, the emphasis was on heritage sites, which Tipperary Tourism is now trying to package with the outdoor offering so as to encourage people to stay longer in this area. She said the county is well-placed in terms of developing outdoor infrastructure. As part of her presentation, Ms Phelan mentioned a figure of €157,622 paid to 46 businesses in the Nenagh district under the Outdoor Seating and Accessories Grant Scheme.

Cllr Morris said Nenagh is a popular destination for people planning weddings and visiting the likes of jeweller Tadhg O'Flynn or fashion designer Marion Murphy Cooney. Perhaps there is potential to make more of this offering, he suggested. He also said there is further potential for local sports tourism, with visitors interested in coming to Tipperary to watch club as well as inter-county games, while local War of Independence/Civil War sites offer further tourism potential.