Clare’s Sustainability Journey


County Clare aims to be the first county-wide certified sustainable tourism destination in Ireland. This ambitious pursuit towards Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) certification will help us continue to develop Clare as a destination that supports local communities and businesses, gives visitors great experiences and manages our social, cultural, economic, and environmental future.

Clare’s journey towards becoming a sustainable tourism destination was featured by ITN Business on World Tourism Day. The feature showcases how Clare’s commitment to sustainability benefits the environment, local businesses, residents, and visitors.

Aligned with the Clare Tourism Strategy 2030, the county is pursuing GSTC certification, with an initial assessment scheduled forspring 2025. Watch the video to see how Clare and its local businesses are shaping a more sustainable future for all.

County Clare’s Sustainable Tourism Journey

Tourism and community leaders across County Clare have joined forces to make Clare the first county-wide certified sustainable tourism destination in Ireland. This ambitious pursuit towards Global Sustainable Tourism Council certification will help us continue to develop Clare as a destination that supports local communities and businesses, gives visitors great experiences and manages our social, cultural, economic, and environmental future.

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County Clare’s Sustainable Tourism Policy

Embracing the region’s rich heritage and stunning natural beauty, County Clare is deeply committed to leading the advancement towards a sustainable tourism future. Our Sustainable Tourism Policy, accessible via the link below, underscores Clare County Council’s firm commitment to evolving into a globally recognised destination dedicated to sustainability for the betterment of all

View Clare’s Sustainable Tourism Policy

About the GSTC certification process

Evidence-Based Destination Planning


Our Guidance and Indicator Results are provided within a dashboard format below, using Infographics. The series of infographics provides a foundational overview and baseline data as County Clare embarks on its journey towards enhanced sustainability in tourism. The initial graphics establish the context and define sustainable tourism, while the subsequent infographics present the inaugural findings from visitor and resident surveys. This multifaceted approach marks the first step in setting benchmarks, which will inform and track the progress of Clare’s sustainability objectives in the years to come.

How Sustainable Tourism Is Defined

This infographic provides an overview of how sustainable tourism in County Clare is defined, supported by international frameworks, and contributes to the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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Methodologies used for indicator survey data collection

This infographic illustrates the methodologies and demographic insights from the visitor and resident surveys conducted for Clare’s Sustainable Tourism Dashboard, contributing to evidence-based destination planning.

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Visitor Survey Results (2022/2023)

This infographic provides insights from the 2022-2023 visitor surveys in County Clare, outlining visitor satisfaction, economic sustainability metrics, transportation choices, carbon footprint data, and feedback on sustainable practices.

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Resident Survey Results (2022/2023)

This infographic summarises the results of the 2022-2023 resident survey on sustainable tourism in Clare, detailing residents’ perceptions of tourism’s impact on the local economy, environment, and community, alongside their overall satisfaction and suggestions for sustainable development

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Clare’s Sustainable Tourism Indicator System for Sustainable Destination Management

A Sustainable Tourism Indicator System is a multifaceted framework designed to help destinations plan more effectively for sustainability. It serves as a management and monitoring tool, enabling destinations to track performance and provides policymakers with actionable insights. County Clare’s Sustainable Tourism Indicator System is measuring against more than 40 indicators across the categories of governance, social, economic, cultural, and environmental issues. The indicators have been selected due to their flexibility, usability, applicably and their ability to compare against International and European benchmarks. Sources include:

Local indicators

The European Tourism Indicator System (ETIS)

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council Destination Criteria (GSTC-D)

The Indicators of Sustainable Development for Tourism Destinations (World Tourism Organization, 2004)

The 11 Key Issue Areas, INSTO Network

The Tourism Department of Clare County Council and the Clare Tourism Advisory Forum have established a County Clare Destination Green Team to oversee the process of securing the certification. The Team comprises a cross-section of local authority employees, tourism agencies and businesses, conservation agencies, community leaders and organisations, the UN Tourism International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO) Network, and the sustainable tourism expertise of Atlantic Technical University (ATU) Sligo.

To find out more about County Clare Destination Green Team, see here or contact us below.

Contact

Tourism development
Clare County Council
Áras Contae an Chláir
New Road
Ennis
Co. Clare
V95 DXP2

tourism@clarecoco.ie

(065) 6821616

Opening hours
Monday – Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. with offices open through lunch.