Margaíocht Leictreonach do Thionscail an Fháilteachais
Rural Tourism Electronic Marketing Training Programme
Connemara Coast Hotel
Dé Satharn, 3 Márta 2007 - Saturday March 3rd 2007
Muintearas
Brollach
Tá tionscneoirí turasóireachta as trí cheantar éagsúla in Iarthar na hÉireann páirteach sa gclár Margaíocht Leictreonach do Thionscail an Fháilteachais. Le linn na tréimhse oiliúna agus forbartha atá ar bun faoi láthair cuireann na rannpháirtithe eolas ar na háiseanna timpeallachta agus oidhreachta ina gceantair féin agus pléann siad na féidearthachtaí táirge turasóireachta a bhunú orthu sin agus é a thairiscint tríd an idirlíon.
Introduction
The Rural Tourism Electronic Marketing Programme consists of three sets of tourism operators in three regions along the West Coast of Ireland, where each group is at the centre of a discrete GEO Tourism catchment. In the Training and Development Programme currently underway, the groups acquaint themselves with the environmental and heritage resources within their area and review the actual and potential tourism products associated with these resources on the Internet. Such products will include special interest pursuits such as hill walking and angling, etc.
The programme analyses the structure of these groups on the Internet, compiling a data-base of some 20,000 notice board addresses for clubs and societies throughout the European catchment, with access to some 300,000 club members.
The groups are now refining a communications strategy designed to convert this electronic communications system into a marketing platform. While the final report on this development model will not be compiled before the pilot programme finishes in October, early indications suggest that the method can put individual small scale providers in direct contact with large market segments and is capable of being applied in all markets regardless of language (the system translates into all the major world languages).
All three networks have put heritage and environment at the centre of their learning process. These two agents are the unique selling point of the three regions and it is through them that they study the Internet and isolate their market segments
The programme, in combining a GEO tourism focus with a refined electronic marketing practice is highly innovative and can provide a development paradigm for rural operators in other regions.
The Galway and Donegal Networks, approximately thirty operators in all will gather in the Connemara Coast Hotel on Saturday 3rd March to review the Development Programme and its implication for GEO tourism. The programme was developed by Muintearas, the Leitir Móir based training organisation. The meeting will be addressed by Minister Frank Fahey and speakers from the Údarás and County Councils.
Oidhreacht agus Timpeallacht ar an Idirlíon
Sa réimse turasóireachta ar leith seo cuirtear an béim ar táirgí ilghnéitheacha idir shiúlóidí, iascaireacht slaite, phéintéireacht tírdhreachanna agus thaiscéalaíocht uaimhe. Is furasta teacht ar eolas faoi na sainspéiseanna seo ar an idirlíon ós rud é go bhfuil na milliúin suíomh tiomnaithe dóibh. Faoin gclár seo déanadh staidéar ar fhiche míle suíomh idirlín agus anois táthar ag cur deis cumarsáide ar bun don réimse seo.
Heritage and Environment on the Internet
GEO tourism products range from walking to angling and from landscape painting to potholing. These special activity groups are easy to find on the Internet and, in total, account for millions of sites. In the current programme, some twenty thousand sites have been identified and the groups are now busy establishing a communications platform for this catchment.
Where the strategy differs from mainstream Web applications is its pro-activity. Instead of waiting to be found by browsers, the strategy is to locate potential visitors and to establish a profile for the products in development. This will be achieved by posting notices and messages and interest-specific information such as events on notice boards in clubs around Europe.
Comhtháthú Teicneolaíochta
Le linn an tsamhraidh seo chugainn beifear ag forbairt múnla nua, ag baint úsáid as an gcóras suite domhanda (GPS) agus an idirlíon. Lena haghaidh sin foilseofar comhordanáidí cruinn GPS na láithreacha ar fad ina bhfuil na rannpháirtithe sa chlár seo lonnaithe nó gníomhach.
Technology Integration
The programme will develop models integrating GPS (Global Positioning Systems) and Internet during the summer months. This will involve publishing precise GPS co-ordinates for all sites and locations pertinent to the groups’ projects and activities. GPS also provides a perfect method for mapping walks and gaining access.
Through the practice of cacheing, GPS has become a standard tool for hill walkers and heritage enthusiasts. Cacheing involves setting co-ordinates for a walk through a series of points at which messages and clues are received. This is similar to a treasure hunt, except with the use of satellites. This is one way in which landscapes are being experienced by millions across Europe and the U.S. By integrating this technology, products can be developed and presented in a way that the market is oriented to receive it.
Forbairt Táirgí
I measc na táirgí a fhoilseofar comhordanáidí GPS lena n-aghaidh beidh siúlóid oidhreachta, siúlóid sléibhe, dreapadóireacht, siúlóid fhada, láithreacha beannaithe, gnáthóga agus láithreacha iascaireachta. Forbróidh gach ball sa gclár seo táirge a mbaineann lena réimse gníomhaíochta féin agus cuirfidh sé i láthair an ghrúpa é.
Product Development
Products to be considered for GPS integration include heritage walks, hill walks, climbs, treks, holy places, habitats and fishing locations. Each member of the group will develop a product that is associated with their project. The project will then present these products through the special activity network being created currently.
Ceantair GEO
Is léir ón taighde a déanadh le haghaidh an chláir seo go bhfuil céatadán ard de na tithe lóistín lonnaithe i gceantair áilleachta. Tá thart ar fiche ceantar ar fud na hÉireann a mbeadh suim ar leith iontu ó thaobh oidhreachta agus timpeallachta de.
The GEO-Regions
In researching the project it was seen that a high percentage of rural B&B’s tend to be concentrated in areas of scenic or environmental appeal. A rural tourism map of Ireland would suggest some fifteen to twenty such regions, each one a distinct GEO Region in its own right.
In piloting a pro-active electronic marketing model, the programme selected three such regions along the Western Seaboard and within the Gaeltacht.