About the project

Fermanagh Futures is an ambitious approach to tourism reinvention in Fermanagh. The aim of this project is to understand what we are doing well within Fermanagh, what we could improve and what ideas we have for the future of tourism in Fermanagh to establish a roadmap for reinvention over the coming months and years.

This website acts as a platform to understand what our key tourism assets are within Fermanagh, what are we already developing and sets out a range of potential new projects that address the challenges for tourism identified in Fermanagh.

The projects here have been identified to build on current assets and proposed projects. The proposals highlighted below range in scale and scope from individual changes to whole community engagement, from quick-wins to long-term visions and from practical implementation to major infrastructure projects.

This platform should be seen as a first step in setting out tangible projects for implementation within Fermanagh. We present proposals here that have been designed in collaboration with key stakeholders and the tourism industry, that target both private and public sector funding.

Of course, delivering some of these projects will require considerable resources and collaboration, and within each proposal possible partnerships are identified to help get each project off the ground.

Who's Involved

This project is being led by Tourism Northern Ireland and delivered by Urban Scale Interventions. Key stakeholders include Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Fermanagh Lakeland Tourism, Lough Erne Landscape Partnership, ORNI and DAERA.

Our Process

February - April 2021

Stakeholder interviews with 9 strategic organisations
Asset mapping of current projects and future proposals.
2 x Fermanagh Ideas Workshops with 25+ tourism providers in Fermanagh
Idea enhancement and presentation of online prospectus

What’s happening and what’s planned?

What’s already happening?

Fermanagh has long been a visitors paradise; rich in heritage, abundant natural wonders, superb hospitality and a land of adventure. Whether it is to explore the UNESCO designated Marble Arch Caves and Geopark, climb up the ‘Stairway to Heaven’, get out and about exploring one of the hundreds of islands littered across the lakes, learning from the oldest working pottery in Ireland or staying under the stars at Finn Lough.

Fermanagh is a destination rich in natural assets and visitor experiences to complement them.
An area primed for a successful future

However, ambition in Fermanagh is high and the location couldn’t be better suited for quality visitor experiences in the coming years. There are already plans underway for a multitude of projects that will enhance the visitor experience from a maritime museum that tells the stories of Fermanagh’s history on the water to a spiritual trail that charts the early routes and monuments across the islands.

Hover over the icons on the map to learn more

Tip: (Hold CTRL + Scroll to zoom)

The interactive map below outlines some of the key tourism destinations in Fermanagh and the projects that are currently being developed. Toggle between what we've got, and what we're developing

How might we improve the visitor experience in Fermanagh….

Joining-up projects and places

Fermanagh is rural and remote and it can sometimes be difficult to know who is doing what, who owns what and what is being developed. There is the potential to join projects and places up to create a more unified visitor experience.

How can we develop a central vision that everyone can get behind?

Making Fermanagh physically and emotionally accessible

Fermanagh’s appeal is as much a hindrance to visitors - it’s rural nature can make it inaccessible. However, creating an emotional attachment to the place is just as hard as improving the physical infrastructure.

How can we make tourism easier for visitors and leave them feeling like they want to come back?

Delivering Distinctly Fermanagh Experiences

Fermanagh has a number of completely unique, world-class assets that can be capitlised on to create a unique experience that also reflects rurality without promoting unsustainable mass-tourism.

How can we utilise our assets to create an experience unlike any other?

The Fermanagh Opportunity

Connecting To the water Around the water To our island town To our story

Connecting...

To the water

“Half the year the lakes are in Fermanagh, the other half Fermanagh is in the lakes!”

Fermanagh is all about increasing a connection to the blue stuff!

What if we built experiences that celebrated the water, increased our connection to the water and got visitors on the water in different ways?

Connecting...

Around the water

"We’ve got great experiences if we can just get people around to them"

Fermanagh has a few key attractions that could act as hubs to disperse visitors around the lakes. What if we linked up experiences to encourage people to various sites across the region rather than staying in one site? What can we do to increase flow around the lakes and away from the water?

Connecting...

To our island town

"Enniskillen is the only island town in the whole island of Ireland"

A unique trait in itself, it can be capitalised on to enhance the visitor experience as a USP for the town. What if we celebrated this through making the most of our island hub and using it as a ‘jumping off’ point for experiences all across the region? What if we celebrated entering and leaving the island?

Connecting...

To our story

"If there’s one thing Fermanagh has more than water, it’s stories!"

Fermanagh is a land of myths and legends, history and intrigue. From the ghosts of Belle Isle to the legend of Conn-eda, WW2 flying boats to Oscar Wilde’s days at Portora. What if we brought these stories to life to create a joined up experience across the region? What if they became more than stories, but experiences, monuments or art? What if we embedded them in every visitor offering?