Irish tourism bosses have welcomed the announcement of a multi-million-pound funding package announced by the Irish government on Monday.
The package, which will link the Republic of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way with Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coastal Route, is intended to help boost economic tourism and visitor numbers across the west coast.
The Wild Atlantic Way is a tourism brand launched in 2014 which stretches from County Cork to County Donegal.
Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Simon Harris said his government was allocating €7.6m (£6.4m) to the cross-border scheme.
He said: “This will undoubtedly create more opportunities for tourists from both home and abroad to experience all that Derry and the amazing northwest and northern coast regions have to offer, and I look forward to seeing the outputs of this impactful project.”
The Wild Atlantic Way is one of the longest-defined coastal routes in the world at 1600 miles. It winds its way all along the Irish west coast from the Inishowen Peninsula in the north down to the picturesque town of Kinsale, County Cork, in the south.
The wildatlanticway.com suggests that the route can be broken down into 14 stages, with each stage finishing in some of the most beautiful seaside towns the island has to offer including Slieve League Coast, Donegal Bay and Sligo and Killary Harbour.
The Causeway Coastal Route runs from Belfast to Derry and is known for its spectacular scenery, rugged coastal walks, secluded hiking trails and forest paths.
The coastal route takes in stunning seaside towns along the northwest coast including Ballycastle, the stunning slopes of Binevenagh and the winding roads of Ballintoy Harbour.
Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle’s North West Today programme, Ciaran Doherty of Tourism NI said: “We are coming at it from the perspective of the visitor.
“You want them to have an amazing time and not really see any difference in terms of their experience when they come along the Wild Atlantic way or across the Causeway coastal route.
“These two touring routes are all about the outdoors, the landscapes and research shows visitors want to have a hub with lively entertainment, a nighttime economy, good food and drink, and being able to get up close and personal with people from an authentic experience perspective.”
Work has already started on the upgrade, with changes being made to signage along the route.