Resumen de Utilising recreational activites with an integrated rural cultural/heritage experience: an Irish case study
Jillian Robinson, Noëlle O'Connor
Overseas visitors who participated in cultural activities while on holiday in Ireland accounted for 2.9 million during 2010 (Fáilte Ireland1, 2011a). Cultural festivals are becoming increasingly popular as a means of attracting visitor numbers to rural areas. In 2010, attendances at festivals/events by overseas visitors accounted for 433,000 (Fáilte Ireland, 2011b). These festivals are becoming a tool to attract cultural seekers and can be combined with walking and cycling as a theme. Ballyhoura Country is an authentic and unspoilt rural area of North Cork and East Limerick in Ireland, it is an example of a rural hub which combines recreation and culture to create a unique selling point and attract visitors to the region. This paper will assess how Ballyhoura successfully combines recreational activities with culture and heritage to create a unique experience for the discerning tourist. The region is proactive with regard to utilising research to obtain data which in turn influences its strategic plans and frameworks for future development. Different research projects will be outlined in this paper highlighting this proactive nature. In conclusion it must be stated that Ballyhoura’s links heritage, culture and the beautiful landscape, with themes of peace and tranquillity, historic sites and traditional culture
