On Inishbofin, we want to take a different approach to tourism. We seek to achieve sustainable tourism that does not negatively impact upon our island’s natural environment, while at the same time benefits and supports our local community. Across the board, tourism providers based on the island are looking at how they can help this goal and how they can communicate our message to all visitors to Inishbofin.

Leave No Trace

One of our first achievements in this respect has been our partnership with Leave No Trace Ireland to become the first “Leave No Trace Island” in the country. The Inishbofin LNT Network currently includes 7 businesses on the island, and many people have taken the certified Awareness Sessions that LNT have run here. Leave No Trace is an outdoor ethics programme who have devised 7 principles for outdoor recreation, which we believe can have a very positive effect when applied to Inishbofin by all visitors to our island. They are not rules, but merely guidelines by which the visitor can gain the most enjoyment while having a minimal impact on the island’s environment.

Travelling to Inishbofin

As part of our commitment to sustainable tourism, we have been looking at ways in which visitors to Inishbofin can reduce the carbon footprint of their journey here. We believe the best way forward is to make use of the wonderful service operated by Irish Citylink who are the only transport company offering direct links to Cleggan, from where the Inishbofin ferry departs. Citylink can get you to Cleggan from Dublin Airport, Dublin City, Cork, Limerick, Athlone and everywhere in between with a quick change of bus in Galway. We are actively encouraging visitors to use public transport, leaving the cars at home and travelling to us in comfort and relaxation while reducing the impact of cars on the roads of Connemara.

Check Rome 2 Rio for alternatives to cars and planes. If it is not possible for you to make use of public transport, but would like to offset the carbon impact, head over to Sustainable Travel Ireland website to see how you can compensate for your journey and give back to the environment!