ABSTRACT
This chapter is concerned with the development of cultural tourism in the Gaeltacht regions of Ireland. The Gaeltacht is the term given to those regions where, although the inhabitants all speak English, Irish is still spoken as the community language. The regions possess a rich heritage, a stong cultural identity and, in most cases, spectacular scenery. The question which stimulated this research was whether the tourism development in the Gaeltacht was characterised by the top-down approach of Irish tourism strategy of the late 1980s and early 1990s (Stocks 1996) or whether more sympathetic, consultative methods were applied. This chapter will examine the process of strategy development for tourism in the Gaeltacht, highlighting the main action areas emanating from this process, and considering a contemporary example of tourism development in these areas.
