With the Coronavirus set to be with us for the foreseeable future – the amount of people who will choose to spend their holidays in Ireland is bound to increase.
From Laois’s point of view, making the county as attractive as possible to domestic tourism should be a top priority for the County Council.
And the case for doing just that was raised by Fine Gael Cllr Aisling Moran at the monthly meeting in the Dunamaise Arts Centre this weekend.
At present, there are a handful of destinations in the county that provide camping facilities.
The Gandon Inn, Traceys and the new plaza at Junction 17 have some facilities where you can park your motor home.
Laois Camping, near Portlaoise, had been open for 10 years but are now ‘permanently shut’, according to their website, presumably due to Covid-19.
Ms Moran put forward the following motion on the issue as follow:
“That Laois County Council initiate a feasibility study in conjunction with Laois Tourism, Laois Chamber, Laois Partnership and Tourism Ireland, to increase tourism in Laois.
“This study will focus on the benefit of having serviced touring camping sites and motor homes parks across the county.
“This will have a positive impact on the economy and employment across Laois. Landowners in strategic locations should be assisted financially through grants or other incentives to encourage development of such facilities.”
To sum it all up, the Fine Gael Cllr wants to see more fully serviced campsites scattered throughout the county. And she wants grants and assistance offered to landowners and business people in order to provide these sites.
And, speaking to LaoisToday, she sets out all of the economic benefits that could come with it.
She said: “We live in a beautiful county with so many beautiful places to visit. We are bringing the tourists in to Laois and remember the longer we keep them here the more money they spend.
“Taking a family on holidays and staying in hotels isn’t for everyone. Some like the luxury of hotels but some like the freedom of the outdoors.
“Some families just may not have the disposable income to stay in hotels, but would camp. Camping is affordable to everyone and in this strange time with Covid, staycationing is the way to go.
“When campers stay in a town or village, they use so many other services, our pubs, restaurants, cafes, chippers, shops, the attractions that the area has to offer, walks, cycle trails, fishing, swimming.
“It is money for the local economy, it creates jobs. Are we in Laois doing enough to capture this market? In my opinion we need to do more.
“The potential for a recession is on the horizon and Camping sites done properly, can be recession proof. Camping holidays represents a more affordable option for all families.
“Between Laois County Council, Local Enterprise Office, Laois Tourism, Laois Chamber, Laois Partnership and Failte Ireland, we need to offer grants and give help with planning applications to encourage land owners and business people to look at developing fully serviced campsites around Laois, with water, toilets, showers and electricity and waste disposal for the caravans and motor homes.
“And in time we can further develop these campsites to include playgrounds, kids clubs – even swimming pools.”
Delving further into her proposal, Cllr Moran set out eight key parts which she believes should form part of the feasibility study into the whole area:
- Work with our neighbouring counties and develop the midlands together as a tourist attraction. After doing the “Wild Atlantic Way” come visit Lovely Laois. “Eat, Drink, sleep and play – now enjoy the Midlands way”
- Promote our friendliness, our hospitality and our beautiful county.
- Get the Blueway extended from where it is proposed to stop in Athy, bring it through Maganey, past Knockbeg college and into Graiguecullen. And if Carlow change their mind about the Blueway then they can continue it from Graiguecullen. Again look at the positive economic impact it will have on Laois.
- We have the Slieve Blooms, Glenbarrow, Rock of Dunamaise, Emo Court, Ballyfin House Hotel, Round tower in Timahoe, Romanesque Doorway in Killeshin, Stradbally woods and so many more places.
- Tipperary has the Rock of Cashel, we have Rock of Dunamaise.
- Dublin has the Guinness Storehouse, we have the 12 Acres and Ballykilcavan breweries.
- Wicklow has Powerscourt waterfall, we have Glenbarrow.
- Glendalough has the Round Towers, we have Timahoe Round Tower.
Cllr Moran’s motion was widely welcomed by her fellow Councillors and it was proposed to request Laois County Council to initiate a feasibility study in conjunction with Laois Tourism, Laois Chamber, Laois Partnership and Tourism Ireland in the matter.
In conclusion, Cllr Moran added: “We have so much history and beauty in our county.
“If we develop campsites and motor home areas around Laois, it will encourage tourists to spend more time here.
“As they say, ‘Build it and they will come’.”
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