Doolin, one of Ireland’s most loved visitor destinations, which is widely regarded as ‘the home of Irish music’, has become the first Irish village to be awarded Fáilte Ireland’s Destination Award for Excellence in Customer Service.
To achieve the Award, tourism businesses in Doolin, which is f County Clare, Doolin one of the most stunning towns along the Wild Atlantic Way, undertook Fáilte Ireland’s Accredited Service Excellence Programme with nearly 120 local tourism frontline staff across 41 local businesses completing a dedicated course of customer care training.
Destination Award
Speaking at the presentation of the Award, Dr. Dean Panter, National – Development Manager Hospitality Operations at Fáilte Ireland said that the Programme is an important aspect of Fáilte Ireland’s business development and training supports.
“It is a marvellous achievement for Doolin to achieve the Destination Award from Fáilte Ireland. The Accredited Service Excellence Programme is aimed at helping tourism businesses strengthen competitiveness and to help differentiate Ireland from its international competitors. Today’s Award substantially reinforces Doolin’s reputation as a destination where visitors are at the centre of everything a business does.”
Miriam Kennedy, Fáilte Ireland’s Head of the Wild Atlantic Way said:
“Tourism is our largest indigenous industry with 260,000 people employed in the sector and the importance of tourism to local communities along the Wild Atlantic Way such as Doolin cannot be underestimated. In Doolin, the support for the training from the local business community has been overwhelming with 41 businesses getting fully behind the Programme with nearly 120 front-facing staff now trained to provide excellence in customer care.”
Niall Hughes, the Chairperson of Doolin Tourism Co-Operative Society – a community-based group which is managed and funded by the local, family-run rural businesses in Doolin to promote Doolin as a tourism destination – said:
“It is a historic day for the village of Doolin. Today’s award for Doolin is a validation of the warmth and welcoming nature of its people, who annually host hundreds of thousand of happy visitors. We are thrilled that our little village has been recognised for its big heart, and the award is a confirmation that Doolin guarantees “best in class” customer service with a memorable stay and experience for every guest. It shows that a Sustainable Tourism product based on its community and people is the true lifeblood of any village and we hope that Today’s Award will encourage visitors new and old to come and enjoy staying longer in Doolin the Heart and Soul of the Wild Atlantic Way.”
To mark the
presentation of the Destination Award, Fáilte Ireland and the local businesses
who took part in the programme, assembled in Doolin on Monday, 15th April 2019,
where Doolin’s brand new destination video series titled: ‘Meet the Locals’,
was launched. ‘Meet the Locals’ captures the very essence of why these local
family-run businesses are gaining recognition for their customer service and
warm, and welcoming nature.
The video series can be viewed here: www.doolin.ie
About Doolin
Located on the edge of the historic Burren in northwest County Clare, along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, and within easy reach of the majestic Cliffs of Moher and the glorious Aran Islands, Doolin’s dramatic landscape and unrivalled scenery are what you might expect to see in an epic Hollywood movie.
Luckily enough, Doolin is as real as it gets. As well as a great base for exploring the region, Doolin is widely regarded as the home of traditional Irish music, with plenty of music and events to experience every night in the local pubs and venues throughout the village – ‘craic agus ceol’ is aplenty in this Irish coastal village.
Take a clifftop walk, breathing in the crisp, salty Atlantic air while appreciating the beautiful wildflowers, explore the rugged landscape where land and sea collide or embark on an Atlantic cruise to appreciate the unique coastline from a different perspective.
The village itself is a vibrant place full of characters, stories and experiences, and is home to some of the region’s best accommodation, eateries, activities, local craft shops, and of course, warm welcomes.
The local people of Doolin have a pride and passion of place like no other, and that emanates throughout the community and the overall visitor experience.
Doolin warmly welcomes visitors to stay & discover more, explore the hidden gems of the region, and experience unrivalled Irish hospitality in a traditional Irish setting.
