Over eight million Germans will view Westport and Foxford in a TV drama currently being shot in the towns, which will give a great boost to attracting future tourism to both towns.
The drama Hearts Desire, written by best-selling author Rosamunde Pilcher will continue being filmed in the region unil early October with locations such as Foxford Woollen Mills, Glenveagh National Park and Castle, Westport House, Achill Island, Turlough House and Belleek Castle featuring.
Apart from the strong promotion of Mayo as a tourist destination to German viewers, there is also an interim boost to the local economy as a film crew of up to 20 and a cast of ten are accommodated locally while working on the project.
Siobhan McManamy, manager of Tourism Ireland’s Central European office, said that: “Germany is one of Ireland’s key target source markets and last year attracted a record 464,000 visitors to the island of Ireland. The publicity value of a production of this nature is incalculable.
“This is a good example of Tourism Ireland and the Irish Film Board working together to get results. Ireland’s western seaboard has been marketed extensively by Tourism Ireland in Germany this year as part of our ‘Discover Ireland’s Wonderful West’ campaign in addition to our core marketing programme of activities.”
