Offaly no longer to be promoted under two tourism brands

All of Offaly will be included in Ireland's Hidden Heartlands tourism brand after a review by Fáilte Ireland.

Today, Fáilte Ireland said, after what it described as "a comprehensive brand review of the Ireland’s Ancient East and the Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands tourism brands", it had decided that all of Offaly will sit within the Hidden Heartlands brand.

Previously, parts of Offaly, including Birr and Tullamore, were included in Ireland's Ancient East, while the River Shannon was central to the Hidden Heartlands brand.

The move to promote the entirety of Offaly through the Hidden Heartlands brand also applies to Cavan and Westmeath.

In addition, a slightly greater portion of Co. Tipperary will also be encompassed within the Hidden Heartlands brand, namely all the Nenagh Municipal District and part of the Thurles Municipal District.

The announcement was made at Fáilte Ireland’s ‘From Survival to Recovery’ industry event at The Convention Centre Dublin, which was attended by over 800 representatives from the tourism and hospitality industry.

Making the announcement, Paddy Mathews, Head of Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands at Fáilte Ireland said: “Today’s expansion of the Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands brand to include Cavan, Westmeath, Offaly and part of Tipperary will allow us to further raise awareness of this region domestically and internationally. The Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands brand is centred around Ireland’s natural rural beauty, relaxation, and untouched heritage and outdoor activities which each of these counties boast in abundance. We look forward to working with industry stakeholders, strategic partners, Members of the Oireachtas and the Local Authorities as we develop this beautiful region as one of the leading regenerative tourism destinations in Europe, with nature and communities at its heart.”

Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands was launched by Fáilte Ireland in 2018 and has been successful in growing tourism in the region. The expanded footprint for Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands to include Cavan, Westmeath, Offaly and part of Tipperary will give visitors a more cohesive visitor experience in the area and will strengthen the overall tourism offering.