|
|
Marine Tourism Conference at
Redcastle
12.09.19
DONEGAL’S special
relationship with the sea provided the centre piece
for last week’s Marine Tourism Conference which took
place in the Redcastle Oceanfront Hotel on Thursday
and Friday.
Almost 100 people attended the two-day conference
and the diverse range of speakers included renouned
marine biologist and wildlife cameraman Doug Allan.
Doug Allan enthralled the audience with fascinating
stories, photography and film clips on tracking
polar bears and getting up close and personal with
killer whales and leopard seals. He concluded his
presentation with a stark insight to the effects of
climate change particularly at the poles where he
has witnessed first hand the effects of the change
in sea ice cover on the populations of animals north
and south and shared his insight on how best to
develop marine tourism in Donegal in a sustainable
and responsible way. |
 |
|
Pictured at the Donegal Marine
Tourism Conference are Cllr. Niamh Kennedy Leas
Chathaoirleach, Donegal County Council and Seamus
Neely, Donegal County Council with guest speaker
Doug Allan. |
In his opening address
to the conference, Seamus Neely chief executive in
Donegal County Council and chair of Donegal Tourism
CLG reflected on the county’s progress over the last
10 years and said that “notwithstanding the
uncertainties around Brexit being played out as we
speak in Westminster, I believe that today is the
right day to be meeting to reflect on the journey we
have made in the last number of years and to explore
the trajectory that we need to be taking in the next
10.”
Seamus reflected on the progress made in the
tourism product in Donegal and how the Wild Atlantic
Way has delivered for Donegal including major
investment in key visitor attractions such as Sliabh
Liagh, Malin Head and Fanad Lighthouse. He also
acknowledged that the Donegal brand is a strong
brand and that the focused approach to marketing
Donegal has allowed the county to punch above its
weight by pooling resources and achieving greater
impact in the marketplace. |
 |
|
William McElhinney from Wild
Strands Caife, Malin Head who spoke at the Marine
Tourism Conference in Redcastle. |
|
Inishowen native and
local entrepreneur William McElhinney, from Wild
Strands Caife in Malin Head, shared his story of
setting up his own family business and of his
passion for seaweed. He talked about his journey
which has seen him open-up an experiential Caife in
Malin Head based on seaweed and devised around local
organic produce. He also spoke about his passion for
preserving and reviving marine built heritage and
his role in the building of three traditional
Donegal boats. |
|
