State's tourism blowout gathers momentum

Preparations for the Gathering, the Government’s blowout tourism event in 2013, appear to be gaining momentum.

A launch takes place this morning at Dublin Castle with Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Tánaiste Eamonn Gilmore and Minister for Tourism Leo Varadkar set to unveil some details of planned events and how the public can play their part in stimulating tourism here. I also understand that Jim Miley, former general secretary of Fine Gael and co-founder and former chief executive of Myhome.ie, the property website acquired by The Irish Times Ltd in 2006, has emerged from a competitive tender process as the preferred bidder to act as programme director for the event.

The tender was run by State tourism agency Fáilte Ireland.

Miley’s remit will be to engage the public in the various events under the umbrella of the Gathering, the idea for which emerged from the Dublin Castle diaspora summit last year.

So it’s no surprise that “significant diaspora engagement” was envisaged in the tender document.

In addition, the programme director will be responsible for “citizen activation and mobilisation of networks”, fundraising and income generation, media engagement, both at home and abroad, and the delivery of the project.

He will also be charged with bringing the various “stakeholders” together to maximise its success.

According to the official website for the Gathering, those include Government departments, State bodies, local authorities, local development companies, private businesses, the global Irish community and the tourism industry.

Miley is in for a busy year.