Galway County Council and BIA Innovator Campus hosted 40 delegates from eight EU countries to promote slow tourism under the Interreg Europe Slowdown project.
Delegates toured East Galway and Connemara, engaging with local food producers and heritage sites to plan sustainable tourism pilot projects.
The programme included visits to Killary Fjord, Renvyle, Clifden, and an Interregional Steering Group meeting at Kylemore Abbey.
Galway’s Tourism Strategy 2023–2031 focuses on sustainable, meaningful tourism to support local communities and reduce environmental impact.
Tourism contributes 10.3pc to EU GDP and supports 27m jobs, with slow tourism addressing overtourism and regional development challenges.
David Collins shared: “The week showcased Galway’s unique assets and strengthened international collaboration on responsible tourism.”
Liam Hanrahan shared: “Galway is ideally positioned to showcase the benefits of slow tourism, with vibrant communities, rich heritage, and spectacular landscapes.”
Derek Dunwoody shared: “County Galway’s artisan and small-scale producers are uniquely positioned to meet the rising demand for authentic, experiential tourism.”
John Neary shared: “Our goal is to encourage longer, more meaningful visits, support local communities, and reduce environmental pressures.”
Nagy Péter shared: “Visiting Galway and meeting tourism operators to learn how they promote slower, high-quality visitor experiences was a real pleasure.”
