From www.castlebar.ie

Community Groups
Mayo Tourism Forum
By Brian Hoban
Apr 27, 2005, 20:21

Members of the recently formed Mayo Tourism Forum recently held a familiarisation tour of the region. Members of the group are rural tourism providers and consist mainly of bed & breakfast and self-catering outlets, craft workers and tour guides. The Forum was established to support and promote rural tourism in the Mayo area.

Mayo Tourism Forum Tour. Back row left to right: Jack Wahler, Merovee Guerin, Sr. Maureen Lally, Eileen Connor, Susie Sullivan, Eddie Walshe, Tom O Toole & Tom Mc Nally. Front Row: Brian Hoban, Patricia Jennings.

The tour included visits to some of the services provided by group members and provided an ideal opportunity for getting to know the tourism product and gain an in-depth knowledge of what the region has to offer potential customers.

It is hoped to follow this familiarisation process with training in the area of business planning, promotion and marketing in the early autumn. New members will be invited to attend a training workshop and where ideas for the development of tourism will be discussed and a promotional strategy developed.

The trip started at the historic Ballintubber Abbey and the itinerary included visits to the following:

  1. Teach Philbin Self Catering Cottage, Kilkeeran, Partry.
  2. Walsh’s Language School in Killawalla.
  3. Cashel Cairns B & B, Ayle, Westport.
  4. Rockville Guest House, B & B Moyhastin, Westport
  5. Moher House B & B, Liscarney, Westport, Co. Mayo
  6. Susie O Sullivan, (Weaver), Derryaun Crafts, Drummin, Westport.
  7. Mrs. Margaret Gill, B & B, Bertra House, Thornhill, Murrisk, Westport.

    Following a break for lunch in the Castlecourt Hotel the tour continued with visits to

  8. Merovee Guerin (Weaver), Kilmeena, Westport.
  9. Luke's Cottage, (Self Catering) Cloonaduff, Belcarra, Castlebar
  10. Valley Lodge B & B (and poultry farm), Facefield, Claremorris.
  11. House of Jack Wahler, (Potter), Tavarane, Kilkelly.

The day concluded with a visit to Patricia Jennings’s Thatched Cottage, Ballintubber where Patricia also operates a horse drawn caravan and bicycle hire service. Commentary for the day was given by Brian Hoban, local historian and tour guide.

"The quality of all the services provided was excellent and warranted special recognition." stated Brian Hoban, PRO for the group.

The next outing for the group will be a golf evening at Tom Mc Nally’s Pitch & Putt Course in Ballintubber.

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