Kerry County Council, Tourism Unit are please to announce its launch of the 2016-2022 Tourism Strategy and Action plan 2016-2022. At a comprehensive launch at St Johns Theatre, Listowel. Joan McCarthy, Head of Tourism Development, Kerry County Council acted as MC and introduced the strategy and invited speakers. She praised all members of her department and Kerry County Council for their support in producing this document.

Cllr Robert Beasley, Chair of the Tourism, Culture Arts & Recreation, Strategic Policy Committee gave a talk about Kerry Tourism.

Moira Murrell, Chief Executive, Kerry County Council praised all those involved in producing this document and also outlined the importance of not only having a comprehensive plan but to stress the involvement of people throughout this County in its creation by way of a comprehensive consultation process.

Brendan Tuohy Chairperson, Destination Kerry Tourism Forum spoke eloquently about how we all have a role in our Tourism product and finally Cllr Liam PurtillLeas-Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council spoke of inclusive and accessible activities and providing our visitors with a first class experience to ensure long-term sustainability of our products. He also spoke of our festival and events and commended the huge voluntary efforts of those involved throughout the year.

Special thanks goes out to the Catering supplied by Lizzie’s Kitchen of Listowel who supplied some outstanding examples of ‘good healthy’ food using local produce and special thanks again to the performers of Siamsa Tire and the Listowel branch of comhaltas ceoltóirí éireann who provided excellent traditional Irish Music & Dance on arrival and kept the audience entertained.

Owen MacMahon, Son of Brian MacMahon, gave a sterling performance of literature and song celebrating this County.

The message is that we take Kerry Tourism seriously and have an action point plan to ensure that Kerry develops its tourism product with the inclusion of all its citizens and tourism providers. Cllr Liam PurtillLeas-Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council sums it up nicely when he said “Nurturing, supporting and protecting the people, communities and organisations in this County, who are the pre cursor for the authentic expression of culture, theatre, storytelling, literature and Irish Language, is a strategic priority of the strategy…”.