‘Cool Route’ from Cork to Arctic Circle

Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) has been awarded a project to develop a maritime tourism route between Cork and Arctic Circle areas of Norway. The Northern Peripheral and Arctic (NPA) Interreg VB Project funds projects that address transnational innovation, enterprise development and entrepreneurship across participating territories of south and west Ireland; Northern Ireland; western and northern Scotland; the Faroe Islands; western Norway, Iceland and Greenland.

Brjánslækur Bay on Iceland’s west coast boasts countless islands beyond a hinterland of mountains and glaciers; geothermal pools; rivers and lakes and fertile regions. Photo Ágúst Magnússon

The €1.3m project, Cruising Oceans on Latitudes above 51˚ North – The Cool Route, will research all of the logistical, business, and marketing planning, and support complimentary marine and shore-based tourism initiatives en route.

Dr Breda Kenny, project manager and head of the Hincks Centre for Entrepreneurship Excellence at CIT says that while the project is about cruising, its key objective is to provide business opportunities for new entrepreneurs and existing SMEs.

According to Gerard O’Donovan, Head of Faculty of Business and Humanities, CIT, the project “epitomises modern entrepreneurship by building business opportunities in a very sustainable and ecological manner, based on high quality natural resources”.

Partners include CIT (Lead partner and Business Planning); Donegal County Council (Project Publicity and Dissemination); Glasgow Caledonian University (Route Logistics and Planning); The Royal Cork Yacht Club (COOL Route Marketing); Derry City Council (Common Booking System); Torshavn Port Authority (Expert inputs safety;) Blues Seas Marinas (Expert inputs design, realisation and commercialisation planning); Western Norway Research Institute (Rural Tourism Development).

Associate partners and other project participants include the Irish Cruising Club; Donegal Tourism; Sail Scotland and the Irish Sailing Association, along with local Authority, Local Development, Tourism and Sailing interests.