INTERREG III

Interreg III is a Community initiative, which aims to stimulate interregional cooperation in the EU between 2000-06. It is financed under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). This new phase of the Interreg initiative is designed to strengthen economic and social cohesion throughout the EU, by fostering the balanced development of the continent through cross-border, transnational and interregional cooperation. Special emphasis has been placed on integrating remote regions and those, which share external borders with the candidate countries. The Authority will explore the possibility of securing funding under this measure.

Current projects that the Midland Regional Authority are involved in include:

INTERREG IIIC North – Watertour
INTERREG IIIC West - ECTN - European Cultural Tourism Network
INTERREG IIIB - Techlink
Silver Economy Network
Interact - EUROTOOL

INTERREG IIIC North – Watertour

Project Title: Improvement of Competitiveness of SMEs and Watertourism Regions by Innovative Strategies & Technologies (WATERTOUR)

The Partners:

Lead Partner: Germany - Regional Tourism Board, Vorpommen

Partners: Hungary - South Transdanubian Regional Development Agency

Finland - Lahti Health Control & Environmental Protection Agency

Portugal - Aflops – Forest Producers Association

Ireland - Midland Regional Authority

Brief Summary:

Common concerns of the partners are:

· they are either hinterland or regions traversed to main tourist destinations,

· lack both a strategic and focussed marketing plan on the European market,

· varying standards of infrastructure and service,

· short tourism season and various IT systems.

Competitive watertourism on inland waterways depends to a large extent on the quality of services offered, quality of infrastructure and facilities and the co-operation between SMEs and communities. The project results will affect, directly and indirectly, the SMEs, local authorities and communities involved and will deliver strategies and tools to harness the regional tourism potential in a more effective way. Regional and interregional networks will facilitate exchange know-how and experiences. The overall project objective is to strengthen the economic situation and competitiveness of the tourism entrepreneurs in the regions by offering tailor made tourism activity packages.

The overall objective will be achieved by:

· Improving access to know-how;

· Exchange of experiences and best practises;

· Applying strategies of sustainable tourism development;

· Developing target group orientated infrastructure;

· Improving regional information systems;

· Developing new and effective marketing strategies;

· Developing an image for the region.

The project seeks to address the issues of:

· Under-utilisation of inland waterways in the development of tourism activities;

· The lack of co-ordinated infrastructure and sustainable development;

· Deficiencies in regional marketing and professional product development and distribution.

Total Budget: € 812,800.00

ERDF: € 562,989.00

Co-financing (75%) € 249,811.00

Duration: 36 months

Commence: July 2004

Completion: June 2007

In the partner regions water based activities are of growing importance as a tourism product. The trend is increasing for tourists to seek relaxing and refreshing holidays where they can feel one with the nature, absorb the cultural distinctiveness of a region within the close proximity to other recreational activities and facilities. This project seeks to build and facilitate the development of inland waterway tourism.

Partners in the midlands region include the following organisations: Laois County Council, Longford County Council, Offaly County Council, Westmeath County Council, Athlone Chamber of Commerce, Laois Chamber of Commerce, Shannon Development, Laois Leader Rural Development Company, Offaly Leader + Ltd, Inland Waterways Association of Ireland, Leisureway Holidays, Shannon Regional Fisheries Board, Southern Regional Fisheries Board, Silverline Cruisers, Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre, Waterways Ireland and Westmeath Community Development Ltd.

Interreg IIIC West - ECTN – European Cultural Tourism Network

The European Cultural Tourism Network (ECTN) is being established to provide a link between the cultural and tourism sectors across Europe. This is considered to be beneficial to both sectors and could initiate good partnership working on a pan European scale. Irish partners include: Laois County Development Board, Longford County Development Board, Offaly County Development Board, Westmeath County Development Board, Offaly Leader + Ltd., Laois Leader Rural Development Company, Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre, Westmeath Tourism and Longford Tourism.

International partners include the Welsh Tourist Boards, Wales; Asturias, Spain, Catalonia Tourism, Spain; South West Finland; Huevla Region, Spain; North Hungary; North Poland and Treviso, Italy.

Interreg IIIB - TechLink

Interact - EUROTOOL

The Midland Regional Authority is acting as lead country partner on this proposal on behalf of the other seven regional authorities and the two regional assemblies. The objective of this project is to share and transfer good practice in relation to the development and roll out of EU programmes and in particular INTERREG Projects. The project is due to commence in May 2007.