Carrick on Shannon made national headlines this week (Wednesday 5^th October), this time for the launch of a new marketing campaign to bring more visitors to the town.  While obviously banking matters are still to the forefront of the attentions of the local Chamber of Commerce, over the last few months they have brought together over 120 businesses relying on tourism into a stimulus project and launched a savvy campaign entitled My Carrick, your Carrick on Shannon.  Gerry Faughnan, President of the Chamber of Commerce explains ‘this project is about setting out our stall as a great tourism destination, we have a wonderful product and enthusiastic businesses who have joined forces to market our wares under one umbrella brand and website www.mycarrick.ie’ .  Tourism is our second biggest employer in Carrick on Shannon and with this investment of over €60,000 we want to ensure it will grow from strength to strength’.  

The project leads the way as a community embracing new technology to get its message across. With over four in ten people now owning smartphones Carrick on Shannon is positioning itself as a wifi friendly town and the promoters invested in a special mobile website which gives visitors information on the move and the use of QR (scanable quick response) codes helps give the project a smart marketing edge.  A 16 page Ultimate Guide to Carrick on Shannon was also launched which will be followed by a Facebook App and online advertising campaign and competition next week. 

Today, the launch of the initiative saw the project logo mycarrick.ie take to the water with the help of Carrick Rowing Club emphasising the ‘on’ the water asset of the town with a webcam on the Landmark Hotel picking up the activity.  A novel Sean Nos flash dance performed by Sean Nós ar an tSionann on the quayside is hitting You Tube and a My Carrick menu with foods from within a 10 mile radius of the town gave a flavour of the wonderful culinary choices on offer in the town. 

Tourism development agencies and the local authority back the project and the Chamber’s investment was matched euro for euro by funding from the local LEADER programme.  Colm McGrath, Chamber Treasurer explains ‘literally every cent raised by the Chamber over the years is going into this project. This is definitely the biggest contribution ever made by our Chamber to the economic wellbeing of our town.  This has to work!’   The Chamber stresses the importance of the input of the tourism bodies into the project. ‘We are working closely with Fáilte Ireland and Waterways Ireland and have linked into their ‘Lakelands and Inland Waterways brand and locally with Leitrim Tourism and Leitrim County Council. We are delighted that we have secured funding from the Leitrim Development Company through the Rural Development Programme Ireland 2007-2013 and by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in Rural Areas.  They could not have been more helpful.’  

Enquiries: Gerry Faughnan, President, Carrick on Shannon Chamber  087 286 5540

Orla Casey, Momentum Marketing 086 2606304