The outdoor recreational potential of the Slieve Bloom mountains along with other land and water based assets in Laois should be harnessed as key tourism attractors for tourists, according to the Laois Tourism Strategic Plan 2018 – 2023.
The goal under the plan is to develop the portfolio of land and water based assets in Laois “to create an outdoor recreation focussed destination”.
“The accessibility of the land and water based amenities to large urban areas provide an immediate competitive advantage,” according to the strategic plan.
“Further investment plans and building on existing facilities to target international and domestic visitors will have a catalytic impact on the entire county. All future investment activity must recognise this potential and work towards the development of quality amenity provision that will mark Laois out as the quality outdoor destination,” the strategic plan states.
Including among the plan’s objectives is prioritising the continued development of the mountain bike and walking trails for the Slieve Blooms and associated support amenities that can cater for all outdoor pursuits.
Potential
Laois should be positioned as an accessible cycling destination through the development of a Laois cycling strategy that harnesses the potential of the mountain bike trail, road cycling, local forest cycleways and vintage cycling.
The plan also proposes the development of the potential of the Barrow Blueways project, supported by the creation of a water based activity countywide portfolio for visitors adopting existing activity on the rivers, lakes and canals.
It is also proposed to support the development of new tourism enterprise that will contribute to the provision of services and amenities to position Laois as a quality activity destination.
Laois should create and support a portfolio of land and water based event aligned to the establishment of Laois as a leading outdoor activity destination.
Accessible waterways projects should be supported and developed that communicated the level of accessible water resource experiences throughout Laois.
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