International business students from SETU Carlow identify the great tourism potential of the city of Laois

A group of international students from one of the region’s leading universities have given a presentation to Laois County Council this week, providing ideas, statistics and information about tourism in the county.

International Business students from SETU Carlow presented their findings to councilors at the April meeting of the Graiguecullen-Portarlington Municipal District last week.

The students from France, Germany and South Korea, together with their lecturer, Dr Sharon Harris Byrne, introduced their findings in a study based on Stradbally’s tourism potential.

The research focused largely on rco-tourism, with many of the findings drawn from comparative research of Shirakawa-Go and Gokayama in Japan.

The study looked at how Stradbally can recreate these areas of Japan in the following ways:

• Showcasing local food, traditions and architecture;
• Contributing economically to the wider region, i.e. Laois;
• Reducing the city’s ecological footprint;
• Educating visitors and tourists;
• Increase and improve community involvement in tourism initiatives in Stradbally.

UNESCO World Heritage Site, Shirakawa-go and Gokayama is a mountainous area in Japan, famous for their traditional ‘gassho-zukuri‘farms, some of which are more than 250 years old.

Gassho-zukuri means ‘built like hands in prayer’, because the steep thatched roofs of the farms resemble the hands of Buddhist monks pressed together in prayer.

The architectural style has developed over many generations and was designed to withstand the large amounts of heavy snow that falls in the region during the winter; all made without the use of nails.

The students identified many ways in which Stradbally can learn from their Japanese counterparts, and recommended improved connections between Stradbally Woods, Blue Way Vicarstown and the Rock of Dunamase.

Additional research from Italy led the students to recommend Stradbally to restore and reuse abandoned buildings for student housing.

The study found that this brought renewed vibrancy, economic benefits and socio-environmental benefits to comparable rural areas in Italy.

Matching retail vacancies was also highlighted as a key recommendation from the Italian study, as it proved beneficial for both the community and the carbon footprint.

The aim of the presentation was “to represent the hard work and dedication” of SETU in delivering this collaborative project, said independent Cllr Aisling Moran.

“The information was only a small sample of the overall data and a full picture of the investigation,” Cllr Moran said.

“To get a true representation of the entire project, I am hopeful that the final phase of the project can be funded, sponsored and supported.”

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