08 May, 2019

Final year Tourism Management students showcased their Tourism Business Plan ideas in the Tourism and Hospitality Building at CIT on April 29.

The Tourism Business Plan module requires students to produce a proposal related to a new tourism business venture, including an analysis of the business and operational environment and a critical assessment of the viability the new venture incorporating costings and funding options.

This year’s winning idea was Lisa O’Sullivan’s Travel Buddy app. The app will help individuals, families and groups with special needs to access information and book hotels, restaurants and activities that will cater to their needs. Lisa has been in touch with both Enable Ireland and Cope Foundation who have expressed an interest in the idea and she is currently in talks with a developer to create the app.

The business plans were judged by Frances Doyle from SECAD and Emilie-Kate O’Mahony, who works with CIT Rubicon Centre and the Innovation Enterprise Office. Ms O’Mahony said she was really impressed with how engaged and interested students were in their business ideas, adding, “It’s great to see the interest in entrepreneurship amongst students growing around the campus”.

There was a prominent focus on technology in tourism. Nicola Harrington’s My Stay Pal proposed self-service kiosks using facial recognition to simplify check-ins for returning hotel customers. Áine O’Driscoll’s Tapp Travel app aims take the hassle out of planning a holiday, updating users on festivals and attractions in each region of the country, so they can plan their itinerary around their interests.

Health and wellness also featured with Lauren Cannon’s Disconnect digital detox experience giving visitors a space to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. On arrival guests would be given a box to store their phone, a journal to record their thoughts and the option of yoga and mindfulness training in a technology free zone.                 

Eimear O’Herlihy pitched a retreat area for yoga and meditation as well as a Railway Café on the Waterford Greenway, while Nicole Murphy’s business idea called The Giraffé, would be based in Fota Wildlife Park and inspired by the famous Kenyan Treetops Hotel. The Giraffé café would give diners a bird’s eye view of the giraffes, allowing them to pop in their heads through the windows of the café! 

Other plans included Ellen Brennan’s Ring of Kerry Pub Crawl, who's market research showed serious interest from the German and American market, and Kyle Neff’s Wilton House Hotel which proposed a new five-star hotel on the Society of African Missions property in Wilton.

Shirley Millar, Lecturer in the Department of Tourism & Hospitality said students love this module because of the freedom it affords them to be creative and explore their own business idea. “Even though many find the process tough – especially the financial aspect, they have a great sense of achievement at the end. It is hard work but hugely rewarding and the passion, enthusiasm and self-belief that they have for their ideas is wonderful to see,” she said.

4th Year BBus (Hons) Tourism Management pictured with Lecturer Shirley Millar and judges Frances Doyle, SECAD and Emilie-Kate O’Mahony, Rubicon Centre.