23 November 2020
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
- “It’s important that we all pull together to support local businesses.
- 22,500 tourism jobs in Cork need to be protected.” – Seamus Heaney, Visit Cork
Visit Cork has launched a #PureLocal campaign ahead of Green Friday (November 27th), encouraging everyone to stay local, eat local and click local this Christmas to support their favourite Cork attraction, experience, hotel or restaurant.
The official Cork tourism body has also announced an upcoming industry day for tourism businesses along with several supports for the sector, in a drive to help protect more than 22,500 local tourism jobs.
The organisation has launched a new Pure Cork Vouchers page on its purecork.ie website, which allows the public to browse the many tourism voucher options available locally this Christmas. Almost 150 businesses have already signed up to the voucher scheme aimed to support local hospitality and tourism businesses, so there’s plenty to choose from. The Cork Chamber Gift Card, the Kinsale Good Food Circle Gift Card, the Kinsale Gift Card and the Mallow Chamber Gift Card, which all support multiple Cork businesses, are also available for purchase through the online platform.
Pic: Brian Lougheed
Seamus Heaney, Head of Visit Cork.
Pic: Brian Lougheed
A special Pure Cork Covid-19 Safety Charter listing has also been launched on the website which highlights more than 300 local businesses who have signed up to undertake the Fáilte Ireland Safety Charter, recommended government public health guidelines for the tourism sector. The initiative aims to reinforce confidence in domestic and overseas tourists considering a visit to Cork. When browsing for vouchers on the website, visitors can now also easily see if a business has this little green circle stamp of approval.
All businesses involved in the tourism industry, from local community and tourist groups, to festivals and event organisations, to accommodation and experience providers, are invited to attend the upcoming Visit Cork Industry Day, in association with Cork City Council, Cork County Council and Fáilte Ireland, which takes place virtually next week on November 26 from 9-11am.
In addition to updates on upcoming initiatives and plans for the promotion of Cork tourism, attendees will get advice on supports available for businesses large and small in the current crisis, along with guidance on when international markets are expected to return and how they may come back. The future of Cork Airport, business tourism, meetings, conferences, and events will also be discussed.
Speakers include Ger O Mahoney, Chair of Visit Cork, Seamus Heaney, Head of Visit Cork; Brian O’Flynn, Head of Ireland’s Ancient East at Fáilte Ireland; Fearghal Reidy, Director of Strategic & Economic Development at Cork City Council; Sharon Corcoran, Director of Economic Development, Enterprise and Tourism at Cork County Council; Kevin Cullinane, Head of Communications at Cork Airport; Niall Gibbons Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland; Rob Rankin, President of the Irish Tour Operators Association (ITOA), and Ronan Flood, Chair of the Association of Irish Professional Conference Organisers (AIPCO).
Speaking about the #PureLocal campaign, Seamus Heaney, Head of Visit Cork, said, “It’s important that we all pull together to support local businesses. You may not currently be able to visit your favourite experience with the kids, or wander around a museum, or enjoy a spa day or dinner at your favourite local hotel or restaurant. However, you can buy a voucher to enjoy in the future – and this will help ensure these businesses are still here for us to enjoy when society fully reopens.”
“We’re asking everyone to champion green and support local by purchasing a voucher online from a tourism related business. Make it a #PureLocal gift this Christmas.
“We also encourage everyone involved in the tourism industry in Cork to attend the Visit Cork Industry Day and explore how they can work with Pure Cork and Cork Convention Bureau to protect and rebuild their business and help collectively promote all that Cork has to offer.”
The Visit Cork Industry Day will take place from 9.00am-11.00am, with networking breakout rooms from 8.30am. The event is open to any individual or business involved in tourism in Cork (City and County). To register, contact info@visitcork.ie.
