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THE Gleneagle Group is celebrating this week having been shortlisted for a major tourism award.

The group is one of just two finalists shortlisted in the Best Accessible and Inclusive Tourism category in the 2016 Irish Responsible Tourism Awards. These awards (part of the World Responsible Tourism Awards family) are the most rigorously judged responsible tourism awards in the world. They are designed to celebrate those making a difference in Ireland and using tourism to benefit local communities, economies and the environment.

The winner of the Best Accessible and Inclusive Tourism category, in which The Gleneagle Group is nominated, must demonstrate that it follows the principles of responsible tourism and is making the surrounding community a better place to live in and to visit. The other categories include Best Destination for Responsible Tourism, Best for Natural Heritage Tourism, Best Innovation in Responsible Tourism and Best Tourism Accommodation for Local Sourcing.

“In order to retain our competiveness and ensure Killarney remains a world-class visitor destination and a leader in the tourism industry we must lead the way in accessible and responsible tourism, we are currently rolling out a three year accessibility plan and our mission is to create a welcoming environment for all” said Patrick O’Donoghue, managing director of The Gleneagle Group.

“Our location is one of extreme natural beauty, it is a safe visitor destination and is largely free of pollution, it is therefore a wonderful visitor destination for people affected by health issues or accessibility challenges. Many of the visitor attractions in the area have made great strides in their accessibility plans, but these visitor attractions must also be complemented with accessible accommodation and leisure facilities.”

Head of innovation and investment at Fáilte Ireland Paddy Matthews said: "A more environmentally conscious and community-centred approach to developing tourism in Ireland is becoming more and more mainstream... and so it should. It results in more genuine and authentic experiences for all our visitors."

The shortlist was selected by a meeting of the jury of industry experts at Fáilte Ireland’s offices in Dublin last week and the overall winners will be announced at the 2016 Irish Responsible Tourism Conference on Thursday, October 6, at the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel in Dublin.

Members of this year’s judging panel include; Assistant General in the Department of Tourism, Transport and Sport Ken Spratt, Tourism Ireland’s Central Marketing Director Mark Henry, DIT Tourism Lecturer Dr. Kevin Griffin, Cyril McAree Managing Director of Hotel & Restaurant Times, travel-writer Catherine Mack, Paddy Matthews Head of Investment & Innovation at Fáilte Ireland and Dr Harold Goodwin Chair of the World Responsible Tourism Awards.