6

The County Council invests 50,000 in the airport every year. Are we getting value for money? Knock Airport believes so. It’s Head of Marketing Donal Healy told this newspaper that Sligo featured prominently in its marketing campaigns in the Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh regions over the past six months.

He said their 2017 magazine GoWest which is located throughout the airport promotes Sligo and the North West and there is extensive Wild Atlantic Way branding in their arrivals hall with Sligo featured prominently on it.

Perhaps most importantly, November 2017 will see the arrival of a state- of- the- art Visitor Discovery Centre outside arrivals. It will feature up- to- date news and information on events, attractions, activities and visitor experiences across Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Mayo and Galway. There will be special live and interactive experiences throughout the year, including important holiday dates and a series of county weeks, where each county will have an opportunity to showcase itself.

This new area is planned to start construction in September and by finished by November. “Sligo will have the opportunity to provide staff for the new Discovery Tourist Centre when open to promote Sligo,” said Healy.

New digital platforms will also be in place throughout the airport by June which “will give Sligo huge exposure” he said.

“Both projects will bring increased exposure for the counties within the region to the 1 million plus people who use the airport on an annual basis,” said Healy.

Knock airport is also launching a new website in June which will have a dedicated section promoting Sligo. Healy added that they promote Sligo regularly on social media and stock Sligo products such as Voya Skincare in their airport shop. “We regularly partner with Sligo Choral Society and Sligo Live festival to promote both festivals and have an ongoing sponsorship agreement with Sligo Rovers FC,” he added.