Tourism forum appoints board
THE inaugural meetings of the newly formed board of directors of the Kerry Tourism Industry Federation have taken place.
The Kerry Tourism Industry Federation is an all-county, open forum for employers and business people with a vested interest in the development and sustainability of the tourism sector in Kerry.
Pat O’Leary, the newly elected chairperson of the Kerry Tourism Industry Federation said the board will be working to foster greater cooperation among stakeholders across the county.
“Greater cohesiveness and collaboration within the tourism industry will strengthen the tourism offering of the county. With this in mind, we have established the Kerry Tourism Industry Federation to act as a collective voice for everyone with a vested interest in tourism,” said Mr O’Leary.
“By thinking and working together we will be better positioned to share information and learnings, we will be better equipped to liaise with government bodies, and we can ensure that all areas of the county are represented and heard,” he said.
“We are satisfied that the full board is reflective of the geographic spread and sectoral diversity within the tourism industry in County Kerry,” Mr O’Leary said.
The elected board members of the Kerry Tourism Industry Federation (KTIF) are Pat O’Leary, who was nominated by Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce; John Edwards, nominated by Tralee Chamber Alliance; Gary Curran, nominated by Dingle Peninsula Tourism Alliance and Helen McDwyer, nominated by Kenmare Chamber of Commerce and Tourism.
Patrick O’Donoghue and Tracy Coyne were both nominated by the IHF Kerry Branch and
Michael McCarthy was nominated by the Kerry branch of the Restaurants Association of Ireland.
The first order of business for federation will be formulation of a strategy that reflects the work already done to researching and identify areas of best practise in tourism management worldwide.
The Federation said its three key goals “advocating for the tourism industry in County Kerry; enhancing communication at all levels and developing a strategic focus” will be discussed in more detail at a member’s workshop due to take place in early March.