DLR Tourism Strategy Workshop - Outcomes Report

WORKSHOP OUTCOMES REPORT DUN LAOGHAIRE RATHDOWN TOURISM STRATEGY & MARKETING PLAN February 1 2017

DĂşn Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has commissioned consultants to develop a Tourism Strategy and Marketing Plan for 2017 to 2022 to ensure the development and growth of this county as a tourism destination. In developing the Strategy, the consultants are holding strategic conversations with a wide-range of key stakeholders in the county. This Workshop was a key consultation event organised by the Council with a wide-range of Tourism Sector Representatives. Thank you for your attendance at this workshop which has brought together a range of interested parties to discuss the future development of the visitor experience in this county.

CONTENTS Thank You

1

The Participants

2

The Mind Map

3

The Group Discussions

7

Mapping the Ideas

11

Next Steps

15

THANK YOU

On the 1st February 2017 you kindly participated in a Creating Great Experiences Workshop in Dun Laoghaire designed to hear your views, as a key tourism stakeholder, on how best to design a new Tourism Strategy and Marketing Plan for Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown. We wanted to engage your understanding, knowledge and experience in the process and to hear your views on the challenges and opportunities presented by the preparation of the new strategy.

Following introductory remarks from Dearbhla Lawson, Director of Economic, Cultural and Community Development and An Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Cormac Devlin, everybody introduced themselves. We then began to mind map participants’ views in response to the first question posed – “Why visit this place?”. As responses flowed, we captured the remarks on the mind map, endeavouring to cluster similar sentiments as they were expressed. When all the views were heard, we asked participants to ‘vote’ on those they felt most strongly about as these topics would then become the focus of the next conversation. The subsequent smaller group table conversations provided an opportunity for people to explore the particular topic in greater detail before moving on, in the final part of the workshop, to the mapping of the ideas, the challenges and the opportunities.

This report is the outcome of all the contributions made during the course of the event. It draws together the different threads of the many conversations that took place on the day. Hopefully it brings some coherence to the huge amount of information – the ideas, the issues and the aspirations- we gathered on the way through. It also identifies some of the insights you brought to the discussion and suggests some next steps so that the momentum you built can be sustained. Above all, this is your statement in your words of what Dun Laoghaire Rathdown means to you, what you think is important, what you are currently involved in and what we need to pay attention to in the new Tourism Strategy.

Thank you again for taking the time to come along and for sharing your thoughts with us. We hope you found it worthwhile and enjoyable and we look forward to working with you as we shape ways for our visitors to experience the best of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown.

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THE PARTICIPANTS NAME

ORGANISATION

NAME

ORGANISATION

Jochen Romstedt Director, Maritime Institute of Ireland John Moore Clickworks Josephine Browne IADT, DLR Chamber of Commerce Kay Gleeson Joyce Tower, PPN Keelin Fagan Head of Dublin, Fáilte Ireland Liz Pilkington Diffusion Events Lua Ó Scolai Genealogical Society of Ireland Maeve Kingston Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre Mary Ruane DLRCC Economic, Community

and Cultural Development Melissa Vieth Dun Laoghaire BID Michael Hayden DLR LEO Michael Mangan DLR Roads Infrastructure and

Climate Change Neasa Donnellan Sea Swimming Niamh Wade Sales & Marketing Manager,

Haddington Hotel Nicola Fitzgerald Programme Manager, Fáilte Ireland Paul Janson General Manager, Dun

Laoghaire Marina Richard McCormick Maritime Museum Roisin Callender Economic Development SPC Ronan Stewart Archivist and Researcher Ruairí Ó Dúlaing Senior Parks Superintendent DLRCC Sheila O’Malley Hilltop Treks Susan Spain Steering Group Tom Conlon Genealogical Society of Ireland.

Tom Kivlehan Local Community Development Committee Tracy Merry Events/Fundraising, National

Maritime Museum Una Cleary Dún-Laoghaire Rathdown TIC Veronica Heywood An Tasice, Booterstown Marsh

Aidan Ryan General Manager, Royal

Marine Hotel Brian Craig Irish Sailing Association Bríd Boland Diffusion Events Carolyn Hanaphy Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company Cllr. Cormac Devlin Cathaoirleach, DLRCC Cllr. Denis O Callaghan Cllr. Kevin Daly Cllr. Lettie McCarthy Cllr. Michael Merrigan Cllr. Peter O’Brien Cllr. Shane O’Brien Colin Hennessy Dun Laoghaire BID Conor McDaid, Operations Manager,

Dundrum Town Centre Conor Peoples Communications Office, DLRCC Darragh O’Neill Talbot Hotel Dave Irvine DLRCC Planning Dept.

Dave Lawless DLR Economic Development Dearbhla Lawson DLRCC Director, Economic,

Community and Cultural Development Denis O’Reilly Wild Wicklow Tours Eddie Gahan Genealogical Society of Ireland Ellen Finn Tour Guide, Summer of Heritage Favel Naulty Diffusion Events Fergal McLoughlin Save our Seafront Georgina Sweetnam DLR LEO Grainne Kelliher Airfield Grainne Millar GM INNOVATIONS Hugh Murray Pavilion Theatre Ian O’Meara Viking Marine James O’Sullivan DLR Heritage Office Jana Tisch Dun Laoghaire BID Jenny Kilbride Kayaking.ie 2

THE MIND MAP

3

WHY VISIT THIS PLACE?

Fernhill gardens Johnnie Fox’s

THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Glencullen Arts Centre

Panoramic views – e.g. Killiney Hill

Scout Centre in Tilbradden

Bay, sea, looking at it…..

Mountains and sea in an urban setting

GREAT PLACES

The streams and rivers

Airfield

Urban access to the sea

Coastal villages, local people

40ft, beaches, blue flags

Historic buildings, Victorian

Great parks

Big houses – Cabinteely, Marlay, filming

Wildlife

Lead mines

Whales, dolphins, sea lions

Martello Towers

Dalkey island

Lexicon – new

Biosphere tour

Pearse Museum

Birds

Use of vacant historic buildings e.g. for Genealogy

Landscape

centre

Booterstown – international recognition for birds

Archaeological sites Churches and oratories

MARITIME EXPERIENCES

Dundrum Shopping Centre

Maritime links – commercial, fishing, shipping

Artistic sites

Dun Laoghaire – one of the oldest man made

National Film School

harbours

James Joyce Centre - Volunteers

Bullock harbour Coliemore harbour

ACTIVITIES

National Maritime Museum

Watersports – a whole range

Sailing facilities

Irish National Sailing Centre

The Piers

Rock climbing – Dalkey quarry Sporting facilities

DUBLIN MOUNTAINS

Leopardstown Race Course

Such a treasure

Iron Man / Triathalon events

Walking and Biking

Agri-tourism

Rural villages

4

Angling, sea angling

DISCOVERING ROOTS

Kayaking

Genealogy

Wild swimming – competitive events

Ancestral links/diaspora

Living history tours

Cemeteries

Equestrian sports

Representation

Cultural tourism

no home for Genealogy centre soon

EVENTS AND FESTIVALS

FACILITIES, ACCOMMODATION AND

Markets

SERVICES

Weddings

Hospitals, Beacon hospital

Bloomsday

Education – universities

Mountains to Sea Literary festival

AirB&B

Literary events

CONNECTIONS

Literary shows

Transport, links, airport, railway journeys,

Drama – theatres and performance

Kingstown

Music venues (not many)

The Metals

Business conferences

Start of the Wicklow Way

Bray Air Show

Blueways and Greenways

Monkstown International Boxing

Cycling network - communicate – brochures?

Large sailing events – the potential e.g. Volvo

“Dart along the Dublin Riviera” – 1998

Ceoltas Ceoltori Eireann

Community tourism initiative

The largest group reading Finnegan’s Wake

Links with Wales Twinning – Brest etc.

5

Friendship - Zumo

Quality of life, relaxed pace of life

The Confucius Centre in UCD

Safe, low crime rate

Cruise tourism

Great level of public access – totally undervalued

Tidy Towns

LOCAL PEOPLE OF NOTE

Next door – RDS and South Dublin

Literary connections – different writers….Maeve

Loughlinstown House – European Foundation

Binchy

IDENTITY

Famous people

“Dun Laoghaire Rathdown” – too wishy washy

Living artists

Dublin’s best kept secret

FOOD

Fresh sea air

Ice cream

Emerging design culture - digital

Michelin star in Blackrock Market

A walkable place – summer and winter

Great restaurants

People at the heart of it

6

THE GROUP DISCUSSIONS

7

ON THE WATER Sailing, watersports, maritime, events, swimming, seascape….

CONTEXT

IDEAS

• World class sailing venue

• S2S cycleway - completion

• Marine leisure tourism (Dun Laoghaire Marina)

• Entertainment on pier; music concerts, open air

– 5,000 visitor nights per year

films, drama

• Watersports – local residents

• National watersports centre

• 8 cruise ships

• International event tourism – sailing, canoe etc.

• Good transport links

• Views to the water, views from the water, aerial

• Cruise ship visitors – challenge

• Lack of pleasure trips on the water

• Spring into heritage – guided tours in Dun

• Harbour focal point missing

Laoghaire Harbour

• Renovated baths

• Eating on the piers

• 40ft – unique

• Public access to water for general water sports –

• SAC – birdwatching, wildlife

Dun Laoghaire harbour

• Blue flag beaches; Killiney, Seapoint

• Central hub for water access for public

views

• Summer of Heritage • Views – food, entertainment, sea traditions

ON THE MOUNTAINS WALKING, BIKING, ACTIVITIES…..

• Need marketing, awareness

• Showcase in-bound tourism activity providers

• Develop destination – bundling

• Building experience

• Access

• Development

• Toilets/facilities

• Commercial incentive

• View of Dublin Bay

• Transport

• Zipline

• New and more hostels

• Ski

• Awareness

• Trail running

• More camping

• Walking

• Need orientation

8

LANDSCAPE Views, piers, wildlife, biodiversity, rural villages…..

PLACES

• Wild-natural

• Sorrento Hill gardens

• Lots of interest

• Killiney Hill

HOW TO GET THERE?

• Ticknock

• Help to make the natural environment more

• Booterstown Nature Reserve

accessible

• Dublin Bay Unesco Biosphere (unique in the

• Lack of information – what species can I see

world)

when I get there? (expert & amateur)

• Coliemore and Bullock harbour

• Connectivity

• Dun Laoghaire Pier

• Access

• Three Rock

• Signs on DART, LUAS and Bus (like poetry on

• Dalkey Island

the Dart)

• Killiney Hill

• Better signage for all Dun Laoghaire’s treasures

• The Metals

• Information on tourist locations

• Fern Hill

IDEAS

• Airfield

• Gallery/graffiti along Metals

• Glencullen

• Heritage walks both summer and winter

• Coastal villages

• Exercise, well-being

• Public parks

• Buggies, dog walking

• Public space

• Walking trails

• Natural landscape

• Cycling trails

• Great outdoors

• Maps/Apps

• Diverse – difference for everybody

• “Dublin’s Riviera”

• Nature

• Photography

• Gardens - walled/historic

• Coffee in all viewing areas

• Cafes – food and drink

• Summer festivals

• Monuments

• Horse riding

9

HISTORIC PLACES Buildings, associations…..

• Word of mouth recommendations

• Niche

• Infrastructure – coach parking

• Access routes

• Opening hours – year-round/seasonal

• Physical access to a building for disabled people

• Admission fees

• Marketing

• Funding

MAPPING

• Transport opportunities

• A map of historic places

• Accessibility – ease of getting to the buildings

• Who decides what attractions go on the map?

• Planning, environment

• Personnel, staff

• Co-operation between departments

• Within walking distance of where the map is

• Signage

• It needs to be available all over

• Technology

PEOPLE OF THE PLACE Artists, musicians, hosts, diaspora, genealogy, writers, ordinary people…..

• Sightseeing

• Traditional music

• Historical figures

• Music: U2, Geldof etc.

• Maritime links

• Ancestral links (roots)

• Vexillology – flags and emblems etc.

• Graveyards – genealogy

• Genealogical archive and research centre

• Literary – Shaw, Binchy etc.

• Diaspora

• Music venues

• Maritime sports personalities

• Return language students

• Holyhead – family connections

• Community tourism

• Religious associations and churches

• Volunteerism

• Religious diversity

• Chefs and kitchen staff

• Faith based tourism

• Workers, service providers

• Folkloric

EVERYDAY PLEASURES • Growing variety of food and drink

images, no tourist merchandise?

• Seafood – Dalkey, Glasthule, Dun Laoghaire

• Friendliness, and you never know who you

• Geared to older people – nightlife in Dun

might meet….

Laoghaire not attracting youth

• Numbers of hotels/bedspaces lacking, Dun

• Mix/diversity of people – “cosmopolitan”

Laoghaire can’t cater

• Outdoors walking and cycling – accessible, mild

• Air B&B is growing to fill a gap in Dun

climate, safe environment

Laoghaire

• The beaches – Dalkey, Killiney, 40ft – safe,

• Good range of venues; Pavillion, Mill, Ceoltas,

accessible, clean

Purty, Leopardstown

• Opportunity for our own Greenway/Blueway?

CRUISE

• Dun Laoghaire – poor retail and nightlife

• Mountains to sea – connect to city

• Dundrum Shopping Centre, 18m per annum

• Gastronomy tour? Cruise to bike and food

• Make more of tourism website, share news/ 10

MAPPING THE IDEAS

33

35 4

43

38

41

21

16

9 15

34

11

5 13 17

12 20

14

36

40

22

37

27

25

8

29

3

28 30

18 23 10 6

24

32

19

25

39

42

7

2

11

MAPPING THE IDEAS COUNTY WIDE 1

Themed walking trails

2

Martello Tower on Dalkey Island – Access and interpretation (refurb)

3

Living – working – shopping

4

Access from Luas/toilet/café facilities

5

Vandal proof bird watching hides – more explanatory illustrations of sanctuary/bay

6-7

Metals to Dalkey and Killiney – Castle, Joyce, Food, Literary heritage

8-9

City centre to Dun Laoghaire – improve signage, access, orientation

10-11 Dun Laoghaire - “Gateway to Ancient East” – stop off before trips (use google analytics, twitter to see opportunities to link up) 12

Music venue – Blackrock village

13

Booterstown Nature Reserve – Visitor Centre

14

Deansgrange Cemetery – Tourism potential

15

Historic Graveyards and burial grounds

16

Develop community and village identity – use of community flags and festivals

17

Build on the county’s strong and historic rugby tradition and heritage

18

Build on art tourism

19

Bullock harbour – angling and boat hire

20

Bring forward a plan for Blackrock baths

21

International Academic conferences

22

Explore the potential of tourism links based on “the new Irish”

23

Festival of World Cultures

24

Develop the potential of civil wedding venues

25

DART – interactive maps

26

Improve signage – very important to attractions

27

Word of mouth recommendations amongst businesses

28

Tourist bus?

29

Challenge of competition for cruise ship visitors

30

No bus parking for cruise ships

31

Dun Laoghaire Baths redevelopment

32

Start of Dublin Mountains Way

33

Start of Wicklow Way

34

New transport links required (leap card)

35

New transport links required (leap card)

36

New transport links required (leap card)

37

Park and walk in various locations

38

Develop mountain Bike rental scheme

39

Move beginning of Dublin Mountain Way to Shankill DART station and visitor centre

40

Develop service hubs and facilities

41

Orientation and signage

42

Develop Shankill to Dublin Mountains – signage, interpretation, short trail to Glencullen

43

GPS service – all mountain users

12

47 2

48

44

49

50 2

61

63

58

53

51

60

58 52

59

54

56

64

62

55

46

45

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FOCUSING ON DUN LAOGHAIRE 44 Water sport access 45 40ft – water access 46 Sandycove – water access 47 Salthill – water access 48 S2S 49 Running trial – Dun Laoghaire harbour 8.5km 50 Public slipway 51 Entertainment centre 52 Restricted diving 53 National Maritime Museum 54 DLR COCO Market – People’s Park 55 Kayak club 56 Renovation of battery – East Pier 57 Killiney Hill / beach 58 Boat tours of Dublin Bay/Dun Laoghaire Harbour Biosphere with info 59 Watersports facilities – visitor access to the bay 60 Watersports facility 61 Genealogical archive and research centre – public/accessible/diaspora 62 Develop cycleway along the coast – S2S 63 National water sports centre 64 Dun Laoghaire Baths redevelopment

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NEXT STEPS

This workshop outcomes report will feed directly into the development of the new Tourism Strategy and Marketing Plan being crafted for Dun Laoghaire Rathdown. This outcomes report will also be shared with those who were invited to the workshop but were unable to attend on the day. Thank you again for all your contributions on the day and we look forward to keeping in touch with you as our work draws to a conclusion.

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