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Louise Fitzpatrick, General Manager of Lough Key Forest & Activity Park and all the team were delighted to have been announced as Winners at the recent Irish Tourism Industry Awards which took place in the Clayton Burlington Hotel. We were named as the ‘Best Irelands Hidden Heartlands tourism experience’ for 2019.

Louise says, that all of the team at Lough Key were delighted and very proud to have been shortlisted as a finalist in these prestigious awards and were up against very stiff competition. To have been chosen as the winner was a huge achievement and to say we are honoured is an understatement. It is also great for the town of Boyle, the whole county of Roscommon and surrounding areas to have won this.

The Irish Tourism Industry Awards give recognition to and promote people, companies and organisations – overseas and at home – that have made significant contributions to developing, marketing, selling and delivering improved visitor experiences in Ireland and to increasing the number of visitors from overseas.

The category we won of Best ‘Irelands Hidden Heartlands’ tourism experience was a wide-ranging category from businesses, communities and local authorities focused on Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands which embody and deliver the principles of hospitality and customer service; who place a high value on the tourism experience for visitors, who contribute to the fabric, attractiveness and sustainability of its tourism region; and who bring the story of the place to life for the visitor. The ‘experience’ could have been an activity, a visitor attraction, a place to stay, a tour, a food or cultural offering, or a formal or informal alliance, and needed showcase the very best of what Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands region has to offer. Tourists that enjoy the experience needed to feel enthused, engaged and excited by a quality tourism product, and required to come away with a story to tell.

Louise goes on to say, Lough Key Forest and Activity Park is now heading into its 12th year of operation and thankfully is going from strength to strength, a sustainable company reinvesting in its products every year to deliver a positive customer experience, with increasing visitor numbers annually and an expanding activity base. This growth is also hugely beneficial to our local town of Boyle and surrounding areas who can all benefit from the extra footfall coming into our area and also provide employment to local people which all acts as a catalyst for prosperity.

We know the beautiful park and unique products that we have and how the park captures the ethos of ‘Irelands Hidden Heartlands’ but to see it now recognised on a national scale is very rewarding and being announced as winners was a very proud moment. I want to thank the judges and ITIC for their work in enabling this awards event which recognises success and Innovation. I would also like to acknowledge all the other Tourism ventures who have made the shortlist, we were in excellent company! And of course, I want to take this opportunity to thank all our staff and customers for all their support over the years

View Images of the event

In 2018 Failte Ireland launched a new brand for the middle section of the country which is now known as ‘Irelands Hidden Heartlands’ and Lough Key Forest and Activity Park is part of this new brand .

Explore the green heartlands of Ireland’s natural beauty, where activity and relaxation are centred around rural communities. The Hidden Heartlands lifestyle can be discovered across a lattice work of land and water trails, showcased by the iconic River Shannon and the Beara Breifne Way.

There’s an infinite variety of things to do for all ages along the length of the Shannon, by the many beautiful lakes in the area or along the many quiet rural byways that criss-cross this picturesque part of Ireland.

The water offers leisurely boat trips, water sports and great fishing, while numerous walks, cycletrails and pony trekking trails allow you to take in the views, or explore the rural heartlands and small villages in this quiet, relaxing part of the country.

For more information you can log onto:
http://www.failteireland.ie/IrelandsHiddenHeartlands.aspx