Cork County Council and Cork Airport Team Up to Encourage Tourism Growth in Cork

The new campaign will feature the ‘Explore Cork’ App, which was launched by Cork County Council in May 2021.

The first of its kind to be developed by any Local Authority in Ireland, the ‘Explore Cork’ app features over 850 places to see and things to do in Cork across 18 categories of activities such as trails, family fun, visitors attractions, arts culture and beaches.

As well as directing users to the relevant tourism activities, the App is linked to the ‘Pure Cork’ website and its database of dining and accommodation options in Cork.

Speaking at the launch of the campaign at Cork Airport, Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Gillian Coughlan commented,

“Now that we can welcome international visitors again, we want to enable them to make the most of their time in our fantastic county and engage with the incredible range of tourism activities available to discover at the touch of a button. This campaign will highlight Cork’s hidden gems to the thousands of visitors that will pass through Cork Airport over the coming months and will solidify Cork’s position as a leading sustainable tourism destination.”

‘Explore Cork’ spotlights each of the 23 main towns in Cork County, with a dedicated ‘Town’ section, presenting local information and video footage that highlights the many spectacular tourism assets associated with each town and its surrounds.

Highlighting the campaign as an opportunity to maximise visitor footfall to the benefit of the local economy, Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Tim Lucey said,

“Cork County Council is delighted to work with Cork Airport and Visit Cork on this campaign. Since the onset of the pandemic, the Council has worked on a suite of measures to support the recovery of our towns and villages. The Tourism sector has shown remarkable resilience and adaptability over the past two years and this is a crucial time for many. This campaign will encourage international visitors to use the ‘Explore Cork’ App to enrich their visit and extend their stay in Cork County.”

Niall MacCarthy, Managing Director, Cork Airport said,

“After two long years of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is great to be welcoming international visitors back to Cork. This year, we anticipate welcoming over two million passengers at Cork Airport which will be almost eight times the passenger traffic level of 2021. Arriving at Cork Airport is the first stage of the Irish holiday for international visitors. With the “Explore Cork” app, tourists will be able to explore the great variety of what Cork City and County has to offer. This is very welcome news for all the hotels, pubs and restaurants throughout Cork who have had two incredibly challenging years and will no doubt, roll out the red carpet and offer a Pure Cork welcome to these international tourists.”