Boyne valley showcase this week

Boyne Valley Tourism will host its second tourism conference, ‘Showcasing a Unique Destination – The Boyne Valley’, on Thursday 19th and Friday 20th February.  Building on the success of their inaugural conference in 2014, attended by some 280 tourism professionals and showcasing over 40 tourism providers from the Boyne Valley, the organisers expect even larger numbers to this year’s conference. 
Organised by Meath and Louth County Council, with support from Fáilte Ireland, the Boyne Valley Tourism Conference 2015 will be attended by tour operators, travel writers, professional conference organisers, decision makers and representatives from the tourism trade within the region. Some 20 speakers will address the delegates over this two day conference which will be officially opened by Meath West TD, Damien English, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise.
The conference starts with a familiarisation trip for visiting tour operators and guides that will include a stop in Slane Castle, St Laurence Gate, Drogheda Museum Millmount, St Peter’s Church and Beaulieu House and Gardens; concluding the opening day with a pre-conference reception and festivals showcase in the d hotel, Drogheda.   On Friday, the main conference, exhibition and the piéce de résistance - the ‘Boyne Appétit’ conference dinner will take place in CityNorth Hotel. 
This collaboration between CityNorth Hotel’s chef, Jean Michele and food producers from the Boyne Valley region will be introduced and spoken about by Georgina Campbell, food and hospitality writer.  The ‘Boyne Appétit’ menu promises to be a gastronomic experience and must be booked in advance.
Kevin Stewart, Director of Services, Meath County Council, who will again chair the conference, said: “I was delighted with the success of last year’s Boyne Valley Tourism Conference and thoroughly look forward to this year’s event. The buy-in from the tourism industry throughout the Boyne Valley Region is tremendous.”
Among the speakers listed over the two day conference is Mark Graham, famous for his blogs on festivals in ‘A Year of Festivals in Ireland’; legendary golfer Des Smyth, vice captain of two Ryder Cup teams, who will be interviewed on stage by SKY Sports.com golf reporter Matt Cooper, with Conall Collier, sports editor of the Meath Chronicle also on the podium;  Morgan Llywelyn, renowned historian and novelist; Fionn Davenport, travel writer with Lonely Planet and the Irish Times and travel contributor with RTE 1; Stephen Mandal, Cultural Tourism Ireland; and Paddy Mathews, Failte Ireland.  The conference sessions will be chaired by Kevin Stewart, and Mary T Daly, Director of Services with Louh County Council.
The conference will focus on a number of specific tourism themes. ‘Spirits, Saints and Scholars of the Boyne Valley’ will include storytelling that brings the past to life; a presentation on how the monks of the Blackfriary are drawing people to Trim 750 years on, connecting people with monuments of the Boyne Valley.  The conference will also celebrate ‘Sporting Greats of the Boyne Valley – the Legends and the Legacy’; while Failte Ireland will talk on how ‘Opportunity Knocks for the Boyne Valley’ with the introduction and discussion of the new Ireland East & South Destination which encapsulates the Boyne Valley. The final element of the conference is a Food Showcase at the Boyne Appétit gala dinner.  The Boyne Valley Food Series will be using the conference as a platform to officially launch its 2015 series.
Meat Tourism chairperson, Cllr Noel French, stated: “I am delighted with the events planned for the second Boyne Valley Tourism Conference.  Meath and Louth have been working hand in hand for a number of years to jointly promote the Boyne Valley Region as a tourism destination.   This unique approach, which ignores town or county boundaries, has without any doubt brought great results. Visitors from abroad look on the whole area as one complete region. Showcasing the best the region has to offer in food, attraction and accommodation.  This conference is a must for those interested in tourism in Ireland.”
A detailed conference programme is available from www.discoverboynevalley.ie