Fáilte Ireland has today [12th March 2025] launched a new five-year plan that will help drive and sustain tourism in Waterford at an event at Mount Congreve Gardens.
The Waterford Destination and Experience Development Plan (DEDP) aims to create a sustainable tourism destination by extending the tourism season and spreading business across the county over the next five years.
Key stakeholders and industry in the area were consulted and contributed to the plan including Waterford City and County Council, Waterford Leader Partnership, the Waterford Rural Tourism Network, accommodation and hospitality businesses, attractions and activity providers, and festivals and events organisers across the city and county.
The development of the five-year plan provides a shared vision and clear direction towards improved development, strengthening the promotion of the area’s unique features by growing the destination’s market share through the delivery of priority projects and hero experiences that seek to maximise the key strengths of the area.
The plan builds on a number of existing destination development projects that will bring local experiences to life including the development of an attraction of scale in Waterford City, the development of an orientation project linking the city, and the wider county and the development of tourism networks.
Speaking at the launch, Paul Kelly, CEO of Fáilte Ireland said:
“This five-year Destination and Experience Development Plan (DEDP) captures the unique themes that are central to Waterford and features key priority projects which will transform the tourism offering across the county. The development of a new attraction of scale, linking the city and county visitor offering, as well as strengthening industry collaboration will further develop Waterford’s position as an internationally compelling destination in Ireland’s Ancient East.
Fáilte Ireland is committed to, and focused on, the sustainable development of tourism across Ireland which is an important economic driver and source of employment. We are confident that this DEDP has the potential to significantly increase Waterford’s domestic and international appeal, and grow the visitor economy to create sustainable, high-quality jobs in the sector that will serve to support and strengthen local communities.”
Waterford DEDP Co-Chairs Gráinne Moynihan and Michael Skehan said:
“We look forward to the roll out of this ambitious 5-year plan for Waterford, with a great sense of confidence. This plan sets out the actions, priorities, and future investment for the area, by focusing on increasing the value of tourism, growing the appeal of the destination, and increasing visitor spend. The actions within this plan will ultimately strengthen the local communities living in Waterford. As Co-Chairs we are delighted to work alongside a committed cross section of industry leaders in the execution of this plan. Together with representatives of the tourism and hospitality sector, the local authority, and Fáilte Ireland we will do so in a collaborative way, to ensure the long-term sustainability of Waterford as a leading international destination experience.”
The Waterford Destination and Experience Development Plan has been developed through a collaborative approach and will be dependent on local tourism businesses, stakeholders and local communities working with Fáilte Ireland to implement this plan over next five years. Read the full Waterford Destination and Experience Development Plan here.
