€ 550m boost for Ox mountain bike centre

FÁILTE Ireland has announced a capital funding package of € 550,000 for Coillte as part of a strategic partnership to boost the tourist experience at a number of the state owned forestry company’s sites including the Coolaney Mountain Bike Centre at the Ox Mountains.

This team up with Coillte is the latest in a series of partnerships that Fáilte Ireland is developing with key State agencies and bodies which own and manage attractions and sites that are considered to be of vital importance to tourism. As part of this strategy, Fáilte Ireland is giving capital funding to projects of tourism value as well as providing its considerable expertise in tourism development and marketing.

On Monday Fáilte Ireland and Coillte launched their partnership with the announcement of the € 550,000 funding package for the development of project feasibility and design for six projects: • Avondale Forest Park Experience, Co. Wicklow • Curraghchase Forest Park, Co. Limerick • Ards Forest Park, Co. Donegal • Wild Nephin and Ballycroy, Co. Mayo • Coolaney Mountain Bike Centre, Co. Sligo • Facilities/ services for motorhomes at sites along the Wild Atlantic Way

Significant further funding to progress these projects will be announced once the projects have been designed and costed.

Announcing the funding, Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD said: “I am delighted to see such joined- up working between two state agencies where the strengths and assets of each are being combined to really provide us with an enhanced visitor experience.

“In an unpredictable trading environment, there can be no room for complacency in tourism and we have to continually go out there and battle with competing destinations to win more visitors to our shores. Partnerships like this - which will ultimately provide us with more compelling experiences on the ground – help provide the cutting edge we need to compete.”