Tourism Development International have been shortlisted by the Irish Planning Institute for the Munster Vales Destination Project prepared on behalf of the Counties of Waterford, Tipperary, Cork and Limerick.

The study was designed to assess and evaluate the market acceptability of a combined and integrated tourism and recreation identity for the area.

The project has now been developed under the brand of Munster Vales with the strategic plan guiding the work of the Destination Manager.

The Munster Vales are now promoted as a signature brand under the wider Ireland’s Ancient East brand.

The Irish Planning Institute is the all-island body for professional planners engaged in physical, spatial and environmental planning in Ireland.

The Irish Planning Institute seeks, through the Irish Planning Awards, to highlight innovation and achievement in Irish planning. The Awards acknowledge the diverse range of plans and projects on a national and international basis taking place in complex and dynamic environments.

David Mac Nulty, Director/Partner at Tourism Development International is a guest speaker at the International Congress of Religious Shrine Cities, Fátima.

Religious tourism is a growing sector and David will be presenting a paper entitled 'Excellence and Innovation in Pilgrimage and Religious Tourism'. Other guest speakers at this conference include:

• Teresa Ferreira (Tourism of Portugal)
• Vítor Coutinho – Vice Rector of the Shrine of Fatima (Portugal)
• Juan Castillo Hernández – Shrine of Guadalupe (México)
• Segundo Leonardo Pérez López – Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela (Spain)
• Yusuf Yavas – Municipality of Selçuk (Turkey)
• António Barroso – Municipality of Braga (Portugal)
• Costanzo Cascavilla – Mayor of San Giovanni Rotondo (Italy)
• Julian Latorre Herreda – Mayor of Guadalajara de Buga (Colombia)
• Municipality of Czestochowa (Poland)
• Paolo Niccoletti – Mayor of Loreto (Italy)
• Graça Poças Santos (Polytechnic Institute of Leiria - Portugal )
• Jin Yung Woo – General Secretary Advisor for Tourism and Culture (UNWTO)
• Ricardo Faria – Tourism Secretary of Minas Gerais (Brasil)
• Pedro Machado (Turismo do Centro)
• Herbert Hofauer – Mayor of Altötting (Germany)
• Pepe Guzman Velásquez - Turismo Trifinio Project (Guatemala)
• Bruno Vinuales - Cluster Tourisme et Espiritualité - Atout France (France)
• Héctor Palencia Rubio - Municipality of Ávila (Spain)
• Stefano Dominioni – Director of the European Institute of Cultural Route (Luxembourg)

Tourism Development International are currently part of a multi-disciplinary team preparing a masterplan for Knock Shrine, Ireland's national Marian shrine.

Tourism Development International also act as tourism advisors to Kylemore Abbey, Connemara, Ireland.

As a tourism planner, it’s great to see recommendations being implemented. In January 2016, TDI presented the Algarve Tourism Products Assessment and Development Action Plan on behalf of ANA Aeroportos de Portugal, Turismo de Portugal and Turismo do Algarve.

See new Aer lingus campaign.

Very effective example of re-positioning the Algarve as an activity holiday destination with particular focus on walking and cycling.