Rebrand of Laois planned to boost ailing tourism sector

Laois is in store for a major rebranding excercise and tourism overhaul under a new strategy to lift the county off the bottom of the tourism league.

Under a plan launched last week a new destination brand and marketing communications approach will be created for tourism in Laois.

The Laois Tourism Strategic Plan 2018-23 says the county must be branded.

“The brand approach is proposed to bring all industry stake holders together under one identity.

“The market place is compeititive and requires a co-ordinated marketing strategy to support the evolvement of the new brand to establish the county as a key tourism destination in Ireland's Ancient East.

“The new tourism brand should focus on a 'Visit Laois' consumer proposition,” said the plan.

The strategy says the development of brand messages should reflect the “diversity of experiences in Laois such as 'A heritage of adventure'.”

It is hoped 300 new jobs can be created over the next five years.

Laois is effectively bottom of the ladder at the moment.

The stategy says it is one of the least visited counties and has the third lowest tourist income in Ireland.