FÁILTE IRELAND’S NEW tourism development plan aims to position Cork as “Ireland’s gastronomy capital”.

The tourism body today launched its new five-year plan for Cork City, Harbour and East Cork.

While Co Cork is already included under Fáilte Ireland’s ‘Ancient East’ umbrella, the new plan aims to “develop Cork Harbour as a world class visitor destination within Ireland’s Ancient East”.

The new plan also aims to “develop Cork as a world region of gastronomy, reflected in the quality and range of food and drink experiences”.

In its plan, Fáilte Ireland said the “wider Cork food narrative requires a strong focal point for food and drinks experience” and that this requires the “development of food and agri-tourism experiences linking Cork markets and restaurants with their food sources”.

Fáilte Ireland added that the English Market “remains an iconic experience” but that “there is a need to connect the food story between the markets, including the iconic English Market, and rural artisan producers”.

It added that the “city acts as a shop window to the artisan producers operating across the county” and that in order to add “authenticity to the Cork food narrative”, visitors will need to be able to meet the producers.

Elsewhere, the plan aims to turn Cork into a “festival capital” and offer a year-round schedule of events in Cork, “ranging from international events to niche local cultural activity”.

Part of the “festival capital” initiative will include assessing the potential for an international river or Harbour themed festival.

Fáilte Ireland said a “challenge” to its plan is the high volume of day visits to Cork – rather than overnight stays – as well as the “association of the area as ‘first day / last night’ destination”.

The tourism body said its new plan “will attract more visitors to the region and encourage them to stay longer”.

Fáilte Ireland also expressed concern that it is “difficult for visitors to understand and access a broader Cork Harbour tourism experience”.

To that end, Fáilte Ireland will aim to link the harbour islands, which will include “water access hubs and developing the experiences accessible in local communities”.

Meanwhile, Fáilte Ireland worried that Cork City “lacks an iconic attraction of scale” and plans to develop one within the Cork Docklands to “create a new focal point for the city experience”.

Fáilte Ireland to implement this plan over next five years and its CEO Paul Kelly said: “The development of a new Attraction of Scale, creating a World Class Harbour Experience as well as positioning the Cork Food Story as an inherent part of the visitor offering will strengthen Cork’s position as an internationally compelling destination in Ireland’s Ancient East.”