South Dublin County Council has engaged tourism development consultancy firm KPMG Future Analytics to develop a new tourism strategy for the County. The strategy will develop a vision for the tourism offering in the County over the next five years. It is expected that the new County Tourism Strategy will guide and stimulate tourism development and investment which will maximise national and international stays in our County offering an economic return. KMPG Future Analytics have also been tasked with producing a roadmap to contain a series of practical, actionable thematic recommendations to help the tourism and hospitality sector in South Dublin to attract more visitors to the County and benefit its residents, visitors and the natural environment. KPMG Future Analytics will be supported by a leading international place making and marketing agency TOPOSOPHY and environmental consultancy CAAS.
Welcoming the appointment, Mayor of South Dublin County Council, Cllr. Emma Murphy said “KPMG Future Analytics will work with the Council, and other tourism stakeholders in the development of an evidence-based Tourism Strategy and Implementation plan for the County. They will review the previous tourism strategy as well as the existing tourism related products and visitor experiences in the area to help develop realistic and practical recommendations to stimulate tourism development and investment in the local economy over the next five years. South Dublin County Council continues to work to identify the natural and cultural assets within the County in order to establish and sustain a vibrant tourism sector, and this piece of work will frame how we progress the visitor economy in our County. It’s just another example of the investment South Dublin County Council is making in the tourism sector in the County”.
KPMG Future Analytics is a planning, economics and research consultancy who specialise in the provision of data-driven advice to public and private sector clients. Their data-driven approach to economics, regeneration and planning enables better decisions and outcomes. KPMG Future Analytics will bring that knowledge and skill to bear on South Dublin to capitalise on opportunity, become increasingly resilient, benefit from higher yield visitors, and to identify clear action areas that focus on themes of high potential and compelling experiences.
Commenting on the engagement and the firm’s task ahead, Associate Director at KPMG Future Analytics James Chilton said. “We in KPMG-FA are delighted to have been appointed, in partnership with TOPOSOPHY, to prepare a new evidence based tourism strategy and implementation plan for South Dublin County. We understand that a key objective of the tourism strategy is to unlock the economic growth potential of South Dublin by developing existing and new experiences that will motivate potential tourists to visit and stay longer and spend more. KPMG-FA and TOPOSOPHY have a strong understanding of the tourism sector having carried out several market analyses, product developments, and strategic development plans for destinations seeking to maximise their tourism potential. We look forward to engaging with SDCC, tourism bodies, local businesses and the local community over the coming months.”
This engagement is the latest in a series of recent announcements with regard to developing the visitor economy in South Dublin County. This strategy will underpin the Council’s current investment in other visitor related infrastructure projects underway across the county such as the delivery of the Dodder and Grand Canal Greenways, a new heritage centre in Tallaght, the 12th Lock masterplan, Corkagh Park enhancements, the Canal Loop project, the development of a visitor and interpretive centre in the Dublin mountains, as well as the completion of Tallaght Stadium bringing it to 10,000-seater capacity, a new public transport interchange, and major public realm enhancement in Lucan to facilitate the village’s Destination Towns designation. These projects, together with the now completed Round Tower Visitor Centre in Clondalkin represent a structured investment in enhancing the vibrancy and attraction of South Dublin County.
The objective of the new strategy is to build on these projects, identify new opportunities for the County, and ensure tourism development contributes to making South Dublin a better place for the community and for visitors.
Pic Credit: Paul Tierney
