Donegal Atlantic Coastal Trail Project
Published on 04 March 2018
Ireland
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About this good practice
Donegal’s Atlantic Coastal Trail is an innovative food and marine tourism project focused on marine leisure and seafood experiences, which will advance rural, coastal and island economic development in County Donegal.
The goal of this project is to raise awareness of the excellent marine leisure and seafood opportunities on the Donegal coast and islands and to encourage local communities to experience our own marine leisure activities and seafood coast that is right on our doorstep and perhaps unexplored.
Donegal’s Atlantic Coastal Trail incorporates a unique training programme, which has been developed to assist business owners and employees of all types of tourism enterprises and is offered as a Level 6 Special Purpose Award by LYIT’s School of Tourism in collaboration with Donegal County Council and Údarás na Gaeltachta. This course benefits owners/employees of seafood and marine/coastal tourism enterprises wishing to gain a greater understanding of these areas.
The programme is delivered at LYIT’s the School of Tourism, Killybegs Campus over 13 weeks, I day per week, commencing in September is fully funded with no cost to the applicant. The modules will be delivered by LYIT staff, in conjunction with a panel of guest lecturers, via lectures, seminars, workshops familiarisation visits and excursions.
The programme has two modules (i) Marine Tourism and (ii) Seafood Fundamentals. 30 participants enrolled on the programme in September 2016.
The goal of this project is to raise awareness of the excellent marine leisure and seafood opportunities on the Donegal coast and islands and to encourage local communities to experience our own marine leisure activities and seafood coast that is right on our doorstep and perhaps unexplored.
Donegal’s Atlantic Coastal Trail incorporates a unique training programme, which has been developed to assist business owners and employees of all types of tourism enterprises and is offered as a Level 6 Special Purpose Award by LYIT’s School of Tourism in collaboration with Donegal County Council and Údarás na Gaeltachta. This course benefits owners/employees of seafood and marine/coastal tourism enterprises wishing to gain a greater understanding of these areas.
The programme is delivered at LYIT’s the School of Tourism, Killybegs Campus over 13 weeks, I day per week, commencing in September is fully funded with no cost to the applicant. The modules will be delivered by LYIT staff, in conjunction with a panel of guest lecturers, via lectures, seminars, workshops familiarisation visits and excursions.
The programme has two modules (i) Marine Tourism and (ii) Seafood Fundamentals. 30 participants enrolled on the programme in September 2016.
Resources needed
Funding from Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas scheme (CEDRA)
Staff and Resources from School of Tourism, Letterkenny Institute of Technology, Donegal County Council and Údarás na Gaeltachta
Staff and Resources from School of Tourism, Letterkenny Institute of Technology, Donegal County Council and Údarás na Gaeltachta
Evidence of success
This programme was launched in September 2016 and 25 students registered on the programme with 22 students successfully completing the 13 week programme in December 2016. The participants were exposed to a series of lectures and guest speakers and best practice visits.
The programme was so positively received by the participants and the funders that a second intake was organised and funded in January 2017.
The programme was so positively received by the participants and the funders that a second intake was organised and funded in January 2017.
Potential for learning or transfer
As this programme is an accredited training programme, successful completion allows the graduate to gain exemptions from certain credits on related programmes.
In addition, the development of the programme with 25 participants in each intake saw the development of an informal network of the students who share a common interest in Marine Tourism and Seafood. This has been maintain via social media apps in particular Facebook.
In addition, the development of the programme with 25 participants in each intake saw the development of an informal network of the students who share a common interest in Marine Tourism and Seafood. This has been maintain via social media apps in particular Facebook.
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