Paddy Harte with Deirdre McGloin and Noel Cunningham from Harvey’s Point Hotel.
General Election candidate and Chairperson of the Donegal Gathering 2013 Paddy Harte has welcomed the Donegal Hoteliers’ support for government commitment to tourism.
Mr Stephen McNally of the Irish Hoteliers Federation said that tourism has a proven track record as a major engine for economic growth and employment, having created over 33,000 additional jobs since 2011 thanks to a number of key pro-tourism initiatives.
Tourism now employs over 6,600 people in Donegal and contributes €128m to the local economy each year.
Mr Harte, who was Chairperson of the Donegal Gathering in 2013, also launched a stinging attack on the previous Government’s commitment to tourism.
“Under the previous government there was a 23% drop in overseas visitor numbers, to little more than 6 million visits. This government has reversed that. A key initiative to this reversal was was the Gathering.”
Donegal’s Gathering was widely recognised as one of the most successful in the county with over 100 community events attracting visitors from all over the world bring crucial investment into local economies.
The Gathering was the largest tourism project launched in the history of the state. The initiative successfully reversed the declining fortunes of the tourism industry in Ireland since 2007.
Paddy added “Not only do I see the potential of the tourism sector to support communities and small businesses throughout rural Donegal, I was honoured to be a part of it. I worked with groups all over the county in reinvigorating their local communities. If elected I will use my experience as Chairperson of the Gathering to work closely with the tourism sector to ensure its continued success”
