“Meet Our Members”- Familiarisation Trip around the Peninsula.

With the autumn season upon us, we take a brief moment to reflect on the summer season. Tourist Offices such as Buncrana, here in Inishowen have seen a significant increase in visitor numbers during the first half of 2015. Inishowen Tourist Office has had a 34% increase in footfall in comparison to the same period in the previous year.

Inishowen Tourism provides a range of services to members and visitors in the Peninsula. We have eagerly invested our human resources in meeting the needs of our members, and revised opening times this summer to be “open” for visitors in terms of promoting “things to see and do” when you visit. There have been direct benefits from investing in the current wave of activity, and building on the potential of “The Wild Atlantic Way” project.

Inishowen Tourism has spent a busy summer meeting and greeting, with face to face contact in the office, and marketing promotion through online and offline channels. One of the key goals set for the summer was to meet with our members, and get real insight into both their individual tourism businesses, location, and surrounding area (points of interest, cultural or historical context). This would allow our staff to inform prospective visitors on “what is on offer” here in Inishowen with greater clarity and enthusiasm, with real experience of it.

Having a wide variety of members that specialise in attractions, activities, accommodation and food, we decided to divide the Peninsula into areas to be covered within day trips, this would include the highlights of the particular area. All members on the day trips informally provided key information from their perspective, and kindly invited us into their home or business to learn more.

Inishowen Welcomes Silverdale Coaches

On Sunday 4^th of October, Buncrana welcomed a tour of over forty visitors from Nottingham, England. The tour was organised by Silverdale Coaches in conjunction with Inishowen Tourism. The relationship between Silverdale Coaches and Inishowen Tourism was established after members of Inishowen Tourism, Donegal Tourism and local councillors attended the 2015 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Nottingham. Thus, a reciprocal visit was organised. Another important factor that helped facilitate this event was due to the owner of Sliverdale Coaches; John Doherty was originally from the Inishowen area.  During their stay in Inishowen at the Inishowen Gateway Hotel the visitors;

•  Enjoyed a guided tour around the Inishowen Peninsula taking in some of its most scenic and majestic views along The Wild Atlantic Way/Inishowen 100 route,
• Visited the Donegal County Council chamber along with a morning reception with some of its members,
• Day trip to the Daniel O’Donnell Centre in Dungloe,
• Quality time exploring Buncrana and its surrounding area, 
• Tour of Derry and shopping

Overall, the visitors from Nottingham had an enjoyable trip to the area and could not praise enough the helpful staff at the hotel and the friendliness of the Inishowen people. We look forward to seeing them and Silverdale Coaches return here in the near future.

ELENA SHUMILOVA EUROPEAN PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP IN INISHOWEN

On the 17^th and 18^th of October 2015 Brendan Diver from Photos from Ireland will host the world famous Russian photographer Elena Shumilova as she presents her first ever European photography workshop which will take place in Ballyliffin, Clonmany, Co. Donegal.

Elena is to the world of photography as what Michael Flatley is to Irish dancing, Elena has over 60 million followers online and is considered by many to be in the top eight children’s portrait photographers in the world. 

An additional thirty five photographers are flying into Ireland and travelling to Donegal to be with Elena for the weekend, each and every one of them in their own right classified as a world class photographer. Some of the countries that they are flying in from are the USA, Poland, Italy, Sweden, Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Romania, Moldova and the UK.  Elena has been asked to give workshops all over the world and we are thrilled that Inishowen host this major international event.

This special event provides a platform future photography workshops. With thirty five world class photographers flying back to their countries and sharing their beautiful images, this will surely put Donegal on the international photography map.

 Brendan Diver

This is just one of hundreds of articles on her work: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3072280/Mother-portraits-toddlers-captivated-world-reveals-incredible-photos-children.html