Burren Ecotourism Network

10/01/2025
best practices, Networks

Title - Name

Scope / Sector / Industry

Network for the promotion of ecotourism

Country / Region

Ireland, Burren

Why is it good practice?

The Burren Ecotourism Network is a network of tourism businesses that aims to establish the Burren as a leading, internationally recognised sustainable tourism destination, ensuring the future economic and social development of local communities, as well as the conservation and protection of its environment and heritage.

The Burren Ecotourism Network is regarded as a best-practice network due to the business innovation it demonstrates, encouraging a more collaborative approach amongst local tourism businesses to create new business opportunities (innovative business-to-business packages), achieve cost savings (joint destination promotion), and provide opportunities for skills development. The Network effectively combines local environmental and sustainability objectives with local economic development, focusing on sound sustainable tourism practices for the benefit of the local community.

How is it applied?

The Burren and Cliffs of Moher region of Ireland has been designated a UNESCO Geopark since 2011, as it is of great geological and cultural significance. On the one hand, Burren National Park covers an area of around 1,500 hectares and is one of the largest and most accessible karst areas in the world. It is considered the only place on the planet where Arctic, Mediterranean and Alpine plants grow side by side, whilst around 75% of all plant species found in Ireland can be found in the Burren. On the other hand, the Cliffs of Moher rise over 200 metres above the Atlantic Ocean and are over 8 kilometres long. The Cliffs of Moher are a specially protected area for seabirds under EU and Irish law and, during the breeding season, are home to over 30,000 seabirds, including some protected species.

In the management programmes of UNESCO World Geoparks, sustainable tourism development is a key aspect. The Burren and the Cliffs of Moher have a very well-developed tourism offering, with the latter attracting over 1 million visitors annually and the Burren offering a variety of attractions such as the national park, visitor centres, managed archaeological sites and numerous walking and cycling trails. Consequently, in 2008, the Geopark launched an initiative to collaborate with local tourism businesses to explore the potential for developing ecotourism in the Burren. This initiative led to the creation of the Burren Ecotourism Working Group, which, following an initiative by the National Tourism Development Authority (Fáilte Ireland), became a pilot project for the promotion and expansion of ecotourism in Ireland in 2009.

The two organisations, the Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark and the Burren Ecotourism Network, are now working together, having agreed in late 2012 to pool their resources in pursuit of their common goal. Both organisations are committed to promoting responsible tourism that protects the environment and improves the well-being of local residents. They also work together to promote the Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark as a leading sustainable tourist destination, renowned for its high standards in visitor experience, conservation and education.

As part of the management of the above initiative, the Burren Ecotourism Network invites an increasing number of tourism businesses operating in the wider Burren area to join the Network as members, with a view to fostering a spirit of cooperation for the development of ecotourism in the Burren. The Network allows a business to initially become a ‘friend of the Network’ for one year, giving it the opportunity to attend the Network’s meetings and to benefit from standard promotion via the Network’s website. Only official members may make use of the remaining services.

A basic requirement for a business to join the Network and become a member is to demonstrate a fundamental level of sustainable practices, as defined in the “Geopark Code of Sustainable Practice for Tourism”. This Code requires tourism businesses to develop an environmental policy and an environmental action plan for their business and to implement certain practices in the areas of energy consumption, waste management, water conservation and protection. It also addresses areas such as responsible marketing, green markets and sustainable transport.

Compliance with this Code by businesses constitutes the minimum level of training and accreditation required to be eligible for membership of the Network. In addition, the Code requires all businesses to complete the “Geopark Leave No Trace” awareness training programme. The programme provides members with a step-by-step guide to achieving compliance with the Code. A financial contribution is required to take part in the training programme, whilst an annual financial contribution is required to join the Network; the cost of this contribution is proportional to the number of staff employed.

There are numerous benefits for businesses that join the network. Specifically, by participating in the network:

Take advantage of targeted networking opportunities with like-minded tourism businesses in the region. This enables them to develop innovative visitor experiences and packages, share knowledge and ideas, and build relationships and friendships.
They take part in activities aimed at preserving and protecting the natural and local cultural heritage, thereby gaining a better understanding of the unique landscape in which they live and work.
Through the “Geopark Code of Sustainable Practice for Tourism” programme, they acquire practical skills and tools to make their businesses “greener”, more sustainable and more economical.
To strengthen their marketing and networking skills and develop their business plan through the “Geopark Business Support” programme.
They can work together to position the Burren as a distinctive destination, making sustainability a key driver of competitive advantage, under the umbrella of the ‘Burren & Cliffs of Moher Geopark’. As members of the Network, businesses are entitled to display the Geopark logo in their marketing and promotional materials. At the same time, they can have a corporate profile on the Network’s visitor website, a business profile on the Burren & Cliffs of Moher Geopark website and app, as well as visibility through the two organisations’ social media channels. Furthermore, member companies are featured as tourist attractions in the Network’s promotional activities aimed at relevant commercial partners and are showcased in other media and networks.

The member companies of the Network, for their part, agree to:

A genuine commitment to the principles of sustainable tourism and to continuous improvement in this area.
Join one of the subcommittees working on marketing, networking or conservation and protection projects. It is important that members attend a certain number of the training and networking events on offer.
Obtaining the Geopark’s Code of Sustainable Practice for Tourism for inclusion in the Network.

Today, the Network’s official tourism website promotes all its members“ products and services. At the same time, it provides a wealth of information on local cultural and natural attractions, as well as the experiences on offer (hiking, cycling routes, sports activities, local arts, etc.). A calendar has also been created listing planned events, along with useful supporting material for visitors (e.g. maps, access information, etc.). Finally, an online shop has been set up on the website, enabling visitors to purchase products and services directly from the Network (e.g. the ”Burren Bag’ and gift cards), or indirectly via the members’ websites, through product packages and services that help to promote the area.

In addition to the above, the Burren Ecotourism Network, as part of its operations, has designed and is implementing a series of measures to promote sustainability and environmental awareness within the community.

The following are examples:

Visitors have the option of purchasing a specially designed “Burren Bag” for disposing of rubbish, thereby encouraging them to protect the environment. The purchase of the bag is recommended by the network companies themselves.
Highlighting electric vehicle charging points.
Organisation of initiatives, involving the local community, to clean up areas of the Burren.
Installing water fountains so that visitors can refill their reusable bottles and help eliminate single-use plastic bottles.
Implementation of environmental awareness initiatives on Earth Day (e.g. waste-related initiatives)
Support the Burren Pine Project, an ecological restoration project run by a local NGO. The project aims to restore Ireland’s only native pine, which was thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in the Burren. The Network encourages visitors to make a donation to this project.

Where is it applied?

The Burren Ecotourism Network was established to showcase the region’s unique natural and cultural heritage. It is therefore aimed at visitors who wish to experience a truly sustainable ecotourism destination, encouraging them to stay longer and enjoy additional experiences and services. However, it is also aimed at the wider local community, particularly tourism businesses, seeking their collaboration and the creation of a shared tourism product that will respect the principles of sustainable development and bring economic, social and environmental benefits to the local area.

When did it apply?

The Burren Ecotourism Network, in its current form, began operating in 2012.

Results

The work of the Burren Ecotourism Network has been recognised and has helped to attract more responsible tourists. In particular, the Network won the “Green Light” award at the Irish Independent’s Reader Travel Awards 2022, whilst in 2021 it was named “Best Community Tourism Project” by Lonely Planet. In addition, the Burren was named “Best Place to Holiday in Ireland 2022” by the Irish Times.

Other information

The steps involved in setting up a similar local area network can be summarised as follows:

Identification of a suitable body to manage the network.
The creation of a corresponding local or regional code of sustainable practice for tourism.
Establishing a clear process for businesses to meet the requirements of the code in order to become members of the network.
Promote the code and its benefits to local tourism-related businesses.
Set up infrastructure to facilitate networking amongst members (website, forum, Facebook group or similar).
Help businesses apply for membership.
Design and implementation of joint initiatives tailored to local needs (such as joint destination marketing and skills development).

The Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark took part in the European programme “GeoparkLIFE: Tourism for Conservation” between 2013 and 2017. The Code of Practice for Sustainable Tourism was developed as part of that project.

The official website of the Burren Ecotourism Network is: https://burren.ie/