Purpose
In an Irish context, the government's engagement in tourism and its role in developing the sector are acknowledged across most Irish government publications. Despite efforts made to highlight the major role of the government in tourism, however, the number of studies that seek to understand how Irish local governments are engaging in tourism is limited. In an attempt to fill this knowledge gap, this paper brings a new contribution to the current relevant literature by exploring the role of Cork County Council in developing tourism.
Design/Methodology
Using a qualitative case-study approach, the particular entity under investigation is Cork County Council. The research aims to provide an understating of how the local authority engages in tourism, by examining its functions and responsibilities in relation to tourism development. In-depth interviews with ten senior Cork County Council tourism representatives were conducted.
Findings
The findings reveal that the functions and role of Cork County Council, in relation to tourism development is evolving. This paper illustrates the current challenges, strategies, and collaborations for tourism development in the County. The paper further illustrates the primary roles of Cork County Council in tourism development drawing attention to local government's engagement in tourism development in areas such as: product development, economic and community development, marketing and promotion, planning and policy and sustainable tourism.
Originality/Value
In a local context, the identification of these primary roles brings a new contribution to an under-investigated subject extending the current understanding of the role of Cork County Council in tourism development.
Key words: Cork County Council; Irish local authorities; local tourism development.
