Cadamstown up for tourism award

Offaly village Cadamstown is in the running to win a total of €11,000 along with marketing and development supports form Failte Ireland, the Offaly Independent can reveal.

The village that sits just north of the Slieve Bloom mountains is one of 45 being considered for the 2013 Tourism Towns Award. Other midlands towns and villages under consideration are Portlaoise in Laois and Abbeyshrule in Longford.

Now in its second year, the award is designed to recognise Irish towns and villages where the local community goes the extra mile to enhance their appeal to tourists.

The top ten towns will each get €1,000 with the eventual winner getting a further €10,000 along with marketing and development support. The top ten are to be announced at the National Tidy Towns Awards later this year, with the overall winner to be announced by Failte Ireland in November.

Speaking about the competition Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring said it's encouraging that so many towns and villages entered the competition.

“I am looking forward to hearing who has made it into the top ten and the overall winner later in the year,” he said. “Best of luck and sincere thanks to all those towns and communities involved.”

Destination development manager with Failte Ireland Beverly Sherwood emphasised the important characteristics of a tourism town and how the award scheme seeks to recognise them meanwhile.

“For us a good tourism town is all about the role of the community in welcoming visitors and telling the story of the local area, which all adds significantly to the enjoyment that visitors love,” she said.

“We have taken great care in drawing up the assessment criteria, ensuring that towns receiving an award have enhanced the experience of their visitors, improved their local 'tourism offering' and encouraged community wide participation in the development of local tourism.”