The Shannon Development Agency has identified increased tourism growth in the region and the provision of state of the art property for national and international companies as its main goals for this year.
Speaking at the launch of its end of year statement, chief executive Kevin Thompstone said the priority this year would be to deliver on a new mandate given to the company by the Government in 2005.
The role of the company was changed last year, and it is no longer involved in job creation. But it retains its extensive property and asset base, and also has responsibility for tourism promotion, and for the economic development of companies within the Shannon free zone.
Almost 20,000 people are employed in the 697 companies supported by Shannon Development, with net jobs gains of 50 for last year.
Shannon Development says it will use its property base to provide the economic development infrastructure to help companies to grow.
On tourism, it participated in 36 overseas promotional trade and travel shows, including locations like Poland which now have direct access to Shannon airport.
