Anne Marie CaulfieldPresident, Waterford Chamber

LAMA Spring Seminar 2012

The Role of Local Authorities

in Enabling Economic Development

Waterford Chamber and Waterford City Council

Successful

Collaborations…

About Waterford Chamber

• Established in 1787

• One of the oldest Chambers in the world

• Represents over 450 businesses in Waterfordin Waterford

• SME’s, Micro, MNC’s

• Represented on a number of state Boards & Bodies

• Waterford Chamber Skillnet

• Enterprise Europe Network

A partnership approach…..

• Partnership Roles:-

• Role of Local Authority:– Create an environment that facilitates – Create an environment that facilitates economic activity

• Role of Business: – Generate economic activity

– Create employment

– Employment retention

Proactive Partnership…..

• Working groups established ……

• Tourism – Destination Waterford City Tourism

– Strategically coordinated Festivals

• Retail • Retail – Destination Waterford City Retail

– Christmas in Waterford

• University of the South East

• Supporting Indigenous companies & MNC’s

• Jointly promoting Waterford through networks

• Strategic inputs

Destination Waterford Retail

• Presentation of the City

• City in Bloom

• Buildings

• Marketing• Marketing

• Various initiatives

• Events

• Christmas in Waterford

• Halloween Spookfest

• 1848 Tricolour Festival

• Fashion Week

Destination Waterford Tourism

• Map

Map is interactive

on www.discoverwaterfordcity.ie

Discover Waterford City - Picture the experience

Destination Waterford Tourism

• Traffic Management Plan

• Town Twinning• Chamber and Town Council formed Town

Twinning Committee

• Tramore Area Plan • Tramore Chamber produced this in

association with Tramore Tourism and Tidy association with Tramore Tourism and Tidy Towns, and presented to Co. Council

• Council’s Tramore Action Plan 2012-2016

• Tramore Chamber has made submissions

• Christmas lights event• In association with Tramore Town Council

• Past co-operation• World Oceans Festival• Sponsored Bins Initiative• Blue Flag Action Group

About Harvest ….

• 7 day festival

• Celebrates Food Heritage & Culture

• 50,000 visitors to the City

• Showcases the City

• Estimated €3m in economic activity

• Promotes Agri-Food business regionally • Promotes Agri-Food business regionally and nationally

• Targets National & international tourism markets

• Home of GIY – collaborative approach

• Fosters artisan producers in the region

• Harvest 2012

• 10th -16th September

In conclusion...

The collaborative

approach works!approach works!

Thank you.Thank you.