Farren launches north-south tourism initiative

The Minister for Employment and Learning, Dr Sean Farren, has officially launched a joint training initiative aimed at helping those in the tourism sector recoup losses from the effects of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

The launch of the Business Renewal Programme, which took place in Enniskillen, was performed jointly with Mr Shaun Quinn, Chief Executive of CERT, the Irish Tourism Training Agency.

In launching the Programme, Minister Farren said: “This joint initiative is aimed at assisting those in the tourism and hospitality industry to ensure that the industry is in a better position to address difficulties caused by recent set-backs such as foot and mouth disease.

“It will provide Chief Executives and Owner/Managers in the SME sector with the tools to assess their current performance, consider future opportunities for developing their businesses, and to draw up action plans to improve their longer-term profitability.”

Dr Farren added: “The problems and challenges of tourism are similar in both parts of Ireland and this programme is a working example of the benefits of North/South co-operation.”

This is the first of three joint training initiatives in the tourism sector, which were agreed at recent North South Ministerial Council meetings on tourism.

Mr Shaun Quinn, Chief Executive of CERT, also paid tribute to the Tourism Training Trust and the Department for Employment and Learning for their cooperation in establishing this programme.

He said: “It is vital that agencies such as CERT and the Tourism Training Trust come together and provide opportunities for small tourism businesses to move forward in the wake of the Foot and Mouth Disease crisis. The tourism industry on both sides of the Border has suffered a setback and with these programmes, we hope to redress that situation.” (AMcE)