Tourism and retailing are both in crisis in Ireland and Sligo. Tourism has potential for significant growth in Sligo and a successful tourism industry can create hundreds of jobs directly but can also boost other sectors of the economy such as retailing.
The people of Sligo need to take ownership of and responsibility for our tourism industry. The centralized bureaucratic approach to tourism is ineffective and tourism only succeeds where it is a priority of a community and tourism enjoys strong community support. The support of Sligo County Council is vital to the success of our tourism industry.
Sligo has an astonishing tourism resource in terms of natural environment, landscape and archaeology. We have failed disastrously to provide access to this resource for our visitors. We have to address this failure honestly and take steps to remedy it. Priority should be given to access to Benbulben, Knocknarea, Carrowkeel and Lough Gill.