Green tips for Laois tourism outlets
Facilitators Niamh O'Shea of The Innovate Room, Caroline Hofman of The CUBE, Regina Dunne, Laois Just Transition Activator and Deirdre McDonald, The Innovate Room
TOURISM and hospitality businesses in Laois got expert tips on how to communicate their green credentials at a timely workshop.
Topics reflected the changing tourism landscape, as more and more visitors want to venture off the beaten track, meet local people and immerse themselves in native culture and traditions.
The event at the Talbot Hotel in Graiguecullen, on the Laois/Carlow border, was supported by The CUBE Low Carbon Centre of Excellence in Portlaoise and Laois Co Council, under the 2023-2026 EU Just Transition regenerative tourism and placemaking scheme.
Laois Co Council’s regenerative tourism activator Regina Dunne explained: “Tourism is evolving and more people are looking for authentic experiences that are rooted within community, people, place and planet.
“This workshop is about giving hospitality and tourism businesses the confidence and language to communicate their sustainability journey, while also encouraging collaboration that strengthens Just Transition impacted areas as a green tourism destination.” The workshop was delivered by an expert team in The Innovate Room, with facilitators Deirdre McDonald and Niamh O’Shea.
The event on 30 September was open to all businesses operating in the tourism and hospitality sectors, providing insights and advice on how to communicate their green and sustainability credentials to a variety of audiences.
People attending the workshop were told that visitors seek out the warm hospitality for which Ireland has always been famous, while also being mindful of their impact on the environment.
They also heard that recent surveys show a growing number of visitors want to reduce their carbon footprint and also give back to local communities, by supporting businesses that are striving to be sustainable.
The CUBE managing director Caroline Hofman said the event was designed to support tourism and hospitality businesses as they work towards becoming ‘more sustainable, resilient and competitive in a low-carbon future’.
She said: “We believe that sustainability and economic growth must go hand in hand, especially in a sector that plays such a vital role in our local economy.”
The workshop also offered practical guidance and expert insights on how businesses can reduce their environmental impact and respond to the growing demand for sustainable tourism experiences.
The Innovate Room team said they work with businesses ‘to help them articulate their environmental initiatives with transparency and authenticity fuelled by data, driven by purpose and grounded in community trust’.
They added: ‘We firmly believe that sustainable storytelling ignites innovation, strengthens credibility, and ensures alignment with the green ambitions of each business, resulting in narratives that resonate and endure.’
More information about local supports to make businesses more sustainable is available from caroline@cubecentre.ie, while details about supports related to low carbon, sustainable and eco-tourism projects are available from rdunne@laoiscoco.ie.
