Following their recent award as the European Destination of excellence award for Ireland for 2017, Scattery Island has scooped a further award at yesterdays Annual EDEN conference in Romania.
This award was given for ‘Best Practice in Sustainable Tourism and Implementation’ and recognises the work carried out by Scattery Island Tours in implementing and maintaining a sustainable tourism model for this EDEN destination.
Following their launch in 2017, Scattery Island Tours have built their business around a sustainable tourism model that aims to support the town of Kilrush and the preservation of the island for future generations.
Commenting on the news of the award, Irene Hamilton, founder of Scattery Island Tours commented: “Developing a sustainable tourism model has been at the heart of business since our launch. The personal connection with my father being born on the island, means we can better balance the conservation of the island with the commercial side of the business. We are always looking at ways we can evolve the business in a way that will benefit the island, the town of Kilrush and the visitor experience overall and we’re delighted with the recognition this award gives ”
Details of the services recognised for this award include the packed lunch service, which includes sandwiches made by local cafe, the Potters Hand Cafe using the local Considines Bakery bread. These are wrapped in recycled brown paper and tied with a string. In line with the island’s Leave No Trace policy, guests are asked to put any rubbish back into the cooler pack and return it when they arrive back to minimise the impact of rubbish. The onboard Tea/Coffees are also served in fully compostable cups and lids.
For children and school tours, Scattery Island Tours produces educational material which includes a includes a treasure trail that entertains the children during their visit while educating them on the importance of the delicate natural environment on this island.
The ferry operator was also recognised for its new foreign audio tours which are due to be launched this season. These audio guides were written and recorded locally, and can be downloaded from their website while on the island, eliminating the production of the plastic hand held audio devices. In addition to the new partnership with local retailers that offers visitors to Scattery Island a 10% discount in-store when showing their ticket to Ferry to encourage visitors to dwell longer in the town.
Commenting on the launch, Cllr Ian Lynch said ” The award is a testament to the commitment of all groups (Scattery Island Tours, Clare Co. Council, OPW and the Scattery Island Heritage Group) working together, showing their dedication and value in developing the tourist product that Scattery Island has to offer in a sustainable manner to protect its uniqueness and its environment.