Shared Island Tourism Brand Collaboration Project

Overview

• Coast-to-Coast Investment Scheme will upgrade existing operating visitor attractions and experiences in the local authority areas of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council along the Causeway Coastal Route as well as counties Donegal, Sligo and parts of Leitrim on the Wild Atlantic Way.
• Scheme is worth £2.5 million in Northern Ireland and €3million in Ireland with £1.25 million available in Northern Ireland and €1.5million available in Ireland.
• Scheme is the first initiative from the Shared Island Tourism Brand Collaboration Project and is supported by a €7.6million allocation from the Shared Island Fund. This all-island tourism partnership project is being developed and implemented by Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland.

The Coast-to-Coast Capital Investment Scheme is a new initiative designed to enhance interpretive visitor experiences at existing attractions across the island of Ireland. This scheme is a collaboration between Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Northern Ireland and Tourism Ireland.

Funding

The maximum investment grant value available is €300,000 in Ireland, or £250,000 in Northern Ireland for any one project under this scheme. The minimum investment grant value is €50,000 in Ireland and £40,000 for Northern Ireland. Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland will assess Expression of Interest Forms to determine the applicant’s and the proposed project’s eligibility in accordance with the Scheme’s qualifying criteria.

Applicants are required to have the necessary match funding to enable the development and delivery of the proposed project. The maximum investment grant rate for all applicants across the public, private and community/voluntary sectors will not exceed 80% of eligible capital expenditure.

Areas of eligible expenditure include:

• Interpretation planning and delivery including hardware design, manufacture, and installation,
• Construction Costs directly attributable to the delivery of Interpretation, and
• External Consultants including Project Management for the delivery of the programme of works (salaried staff costs are excluded).

Who can apply?

Public Sector

• Local Authorities
• Semi-State Bodies
• Other public bodies established to operate facilities on behalf of the public sector including commercial and non-commercial entities

Private Sector

• Private Companies
• Private Individuals
• Other Legal Entities

Community/Voluntary Sector

• Community/Voluntary Groups
• Charities

Existing operating visitor attractions located within the eligible target areas can apply:

In Ireland: Counties Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo and parts of Leitrim (please refer to Scheme Guidelines for further details on eligible target areas).

In Northern Ireland: The Local Authority areas of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council along the Causeway Coastal Route.

Scheme Priorities

• Greatly improved interpretation and storytelling
• Immersive experiences
• Product innovation
• Revealing hidden gems
• Foreign language provision
• Increase dwell time
• Increase visitor expenditure

If applying from Northern Ireland, applicants will be required to demonstrate how the project will meet the differing needs of all the Section 75 groups in addition to ensuring that the visitor attraction/experience is fully accessible to all.