Donegal County Council has launched its Autumn food and drink campaign, Flavours of Donegal, in association with the Donegal Food Coast.
This six-week campaign aims to spotlight the different elements which make Donegal a growing food and drink destination, showcasing restaurants, hotels, cafés and producers.
Alongside the food and drink element the campaign also seeks to promote the relationship between food and travel with accommodation providers and visitor attractions also being highlighted to strengthen Donegal’s tourism offering.
The campaign is set to be promoted through GoVisitDonegal through social media and its website.
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(Release in Full)
Donegal County Council, in association with Donegal Food Coast, has launched its autumn food and drink campaign, Flavours of Donegal, celebrating the quality, diversity and distinctive character of the county’s food and drink offering.
The six-week campaign will shine a spotlight on the people, places, produce and experiences that make Donegal an increasingly exciting food and drink destination.
Flavours of Donegal will showcase restaurants, hotels, cafés, food producers, retailers and food experiences from across the county, encouraging local people and visitors alike to discover more of what Donegal has to offer.
Importantly, the campaign is about much more than supporting the food and drink sector alone. Food is increasingly a reason for people to travel, explore and spend time in a destination. By encouraging visitors to discover Donegal through its food and drink, the campaign has the potential to generate wider benefits for accommodation providers, visitor attractions, activity providers, retailers and communities throughout the county.
The campaign forms part of Donegal County Council’s wider ambition to strengthen Donegal’s tourism offering and develop authentic experiences based on the county’s distinctive culture, landscape, people and produce. It also supports the objectives of the Donegal Tourism Strategy, which identifies food as an important part of the visitor experience and commits to the continued development of food tourism through the Donegal Food Coast network.
This direction also reflects the growing importance of culinary tourism nationally, with Fáilte Ireland identifying local provenance, authentic visitor experiences and sustainable destination development as important priorities for the tourism sector.
Throughout the campaign, Donegal’s food and drink experiences will be promoted through the Go Visit Donegal digital platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and dedicated content on the Go Visit Donegal website.
Businesses across the county are encouraged to participate by developing and promoting special offers, menus, events and food and drink experiences during the campaign period, giving visitors even more reasons to explore Donegal this autumn.
A series of ten promotional videos will also bring the campaign to life, telling the stories of the people and businesses behind Donegal’s food and drink and showcasing the strong connection between the county’s produce, landscape, communities and culture.
John McLaughlin, Chief Executive of Donegal County Council and Chair of Donegal Tourism said:
“Food and drink are an increasingly important part of the visitor experience, and Donegal has an exceptional story to tell. Through Flavours of Donegal, we want to celebrate the quality of what is produced here, the people behind it and the experiences visitors can enjoy across the county.
“The benefits extend well beyond the food and drink sector. When people choose Donegal because of its food, they also stay in our accommodation, visit our attractions, enjoy activities, shop locally and explore our towns and villages. This campaign is therefore about using Donegal’s food and drink offering as another compelling reason to visit the county and to stay for longer.”
Seamus McDaid, Chair of Donegal Food Coast, said:
“Donegal has an incredibly strong and diverse food and drink sector, built around outstanding local produce, talented people and a real sense of place. Flavours of Donegal gives us an opportunity to bring those stories together and encourage both visitors and local people to discover the breadth of food and drink experiences available throughout the county.”
The campaign will encourage residents and visitors to follow Go Visit Donegal throughout the month to discover participating businesses, special offers, events and experiences.
For further information and inspiration, visit GoVisitDonegal.com/food and follow Go Visit Donegal on Facebook and Instagram.
