Fáilte Ireland under the policy direction of my Department promotes balanced tourism growth by developing regional experience brands. Fáilte Ireland’s Regional Tourism Development Strategy for the Wild Atlantic Way is a five-year action plan for the region and provides a blueprint for sustainable tourism development, ensuring stakeholders and partners can work together towards a shared vision.
Fáilte Ireland has established localised Destination Experience Development Plans (DEDPs) to activate regional brands. The DEDPs are 5-year sustainable tourism development plans for a destination, which bring public and private sector organisations together to prioritise tourism development projects and maximise their chances of success. The DEDP’s are highly collaborative in nature, involving local stakeholders and this is reflected in the agreed action plans where ownership is assigned among the various parties.
Communities and tourism enterprises also receive experience and destination development supports, enabling the delivery of high-quality tourism offerings aligned with the Wild Atlantic Way brand, including outdoor, heritage, cultural and sustainable tourism experiences. Fáilte Ireland provides business and skills development supports such as; mentoring, training, digital capability development and targeted grants to help tourism enterprises improve quality, resilience and long-term viability. These measures are complemented by ongoing domestic and international marketing, by both Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, which continues to promote the Wild Atlantic Way as a world-class touring route.
Fáilte Ireland has also partnered with Local Authorities across the Wild Atlantic Way to deliver shared watersports facilities at coastal sites, ensuring that essential services and high-quality visitor infrastructure are available at key locations. Further partnership investments by Fáilte Ireland with the Office of Public Works and the National Parks and Wildlife Service have also enhanced the visitor experience along the Wild Atlantic Way, while also strengthening the cultural and natural heritage offerings available to both communities and visitors.
The Shared Island Brand Collaboration Project, with a budget allocation of €7.6 million, aims to strengthen the connection between the Causeway Coastal Route and the Wild Atlantic Way in the northwest of the island. This cooperative initiative between Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland includes a small grants scheme designed to greatly enhance the visitor offering and visitor experience along both routes. Applications under this scheme have now closed, and a formal announcement will be made shortly detailing the projects along the Wild Atlantic Way that have progressed through assessment. The investments will enable comprehensive upgrades at the existing attractions and experiences including advanced interpretation, enriched storytelling, and substantial improvements to visitor experience infrastructure. These developments will strengthen the appeal of the attractions while encouraging visitors to further explore the regions, extend their stay, and generate greater economic benefits for local communities.
Finally, In December 2025, my Department published the National Tourism Policy Statement - A New Era for Irish Tourism. This five-year strategy provides a clear framework to guide the development of tourism to 2031. The Government remains committed to ensuring tourism growth along the Wild Atlantic Way is sustainable and delivers balanced economic benefits while protecting the natural and cultural assets on which communities depend.
