Cork County Council and Fáilte Ireland Invite Public Feedback on the Youghal Visitor Orientation Strategy

Cork County Council, in partnership with Fáilte Ireland, is inviting residents, businesses, community organisations and visitors to help shape the final Youghal Visitor Orientation Strategy by providing feedback on a series of emerging proposals for the town.

The strategy aims to enhance how people navigate, discover and experience Youghal, creating stronger connections between the town centre, historic attractions, waterfront, beaches, and the town's unique natural and cultural assets.

An initial public consultation held in April this year attracted more than 220 survey responses alongside extensive stakeholder engagement. A series of emerging proposals has now been developed, informed by community feedback and local knowledge gathered during that first phase.

The emerging proposals identify opportunities to enhance the visitor experience in Youghal through improved wayfinding, orientation and storytelling, while strengthening links between attractions and highlighting the town's rich heritage, coastal environment and unique sense of place.

The strategy will also provide a framework to help guide future investment opportunities and funding applications that support visitor orientation, placemaking and tourism-related projects throughout the town.

Members of the public are now encouraged to review the emerging proposals and share their views through an online survey or by attending a public consultation event.

Cllr. Bernard Moynihan, Mayor of the County of Cork, welcomed the next phase of consultation:

"The level of engagement during the first phase of consultation demonstrated the strong pride people have in Youghal and the importance they place on its future development. The feedback received has helped shape these emerging proposals and I would encourage everyone with an interest in the town to take the opportunity to review them and have their say."

Mary Houlihan, Regional Tourism Development Manager for Ireland's Ancient East at Fáilte Ireland, said:

"Youghal is an important coastal destination within Ireland's Ancient East, offering a unique blend of heritage, culture, maritime history and natural beauty. The Youghal Orientation Strategy will set out a clear vision for how visitors can better discover and experience these assets, encouraging them to stay longer, explore more of the town and surrounding region, and ultimately deliver greater economic benefits for local businesses and communities. This also aligns with Fáilte Ireland's Corporate Strategy, which recognises the opportunity to enhance Ireland's outdoor tourism offering. We look forward to working in partnership with Cork County Council as we continue to develop the Youghal Orientation Strategy and further strengthen the visitor experience in Youghal and across County Cork."

The online survey is open from 9 September to 30 September, with paper copies also available at Youghal Town Hall, The Mall, Youghal. A public drop-in event will take place on 15 September, from 4.30pm to 7.30pm, at the same venue.

Full details and the online survey can be found at corkcoco.ie. Feedback received during this consultation will help refine and finalise the Youghal Visitor Orientation Strategy before it is completed later this year.