Ian Dempsey, Jean O'Sullivan and Robert Walsh

Fastnet Line continues to be one of the most progressive ferry companies on the Irish sea. On Monday, its owners the West Cork tourism Co-Op will open their Tourist Information Office on board the MV Julia. The large space located on deck five is dedicated to giving passengers as much information as possible about the destinations on both sides of the Irish sea.

The shareholders who have invested €3m of their own money to purchase the ferry and establish Fastnet Line will now be able to display information about their businesses to the tourists travelling on board in what is believed to be a unique venture on any ferry to southern Ireland. Only businesses which have invested to become members of the Co-Op are allowed to display on board the ship.

Shareholders also benefit from joint marketing opportunities with Fastnet Line which should enhance their opportunities to gain additional tourist traffic. The tourist information office consists of large scale grpahic representations of Wales and Ireland as well as a central information desk and leaflet display racks. the office will be manned by trained staff in high season who will be able to give detailed information about the two destinations as well as advice regarding shareholders offerings.

West Cork Tourism Co-Op membership is still open to businesses in Ireland and Wales.

Cardiff Bay

The capital of Wales is an exciting place to visit with a compact city centre containing all you need and being a great place to base yourself for an assault on all things Welsh. The advent of a degree of autonomy for Wales within the United Kingdom, with its own government, elected representatives and legislative assembly has given Wales a self-confidence to face the challenges of the new millennium. The Castle remains an iconic feature of the city as it has for over two thousand years alongside the more modern features such as the Millennium Centre, the visitor centre known as “The Tube” and the stylishly classic National Museum. Many people will come for large sporting occasions such as the biennial Six Nations clash between the Celtic cousins Wales and Ireland but Cardiff Bay boasts an impressive array of watersports to participate in as well as nearby walking, horseriding, rock climbing, kayaking and cycling. Golf of course is the vogue sport with the 2010 Ryder cup taking place at Celtic Manor just twenty minutes from Cardiff and is sure to attract thousands of spectators from Europe and the USA. Don’t forget to unwind with shopping, bars, cafes and restaurants or make a beeline for a concert or opera to keep the culture quotient high.