Launch of LookWest.ie campaign

Dublin City has 4,300 people per sq. km, while the average in Roscommon is just 23 people. According to Gillian Buckley, CEO of the Western Development Commission (WDC), this could be one of the reasons why over 8,000 people a month, or nearly 100,000 people a year, are logging on to the www.lookwest.ie website.               Ms. Buckley was speaking at the launch of the WDC’s latest LookWest.ie campaign, aimed at attracting people to relocate to the country’s Western Region. She also pointed out that according to the census, over 4,000 people have moved into County Roscommon over the past four years. She said, ‘There has been a lot of talk recently about lifestyle issues and there’s no doubt that it is the hot topic. Our message is simple – the Western Region offers relocators an excellent work/life balance’.             Ms Buckley spoke of the important role people living in the West can play in the LookWest.ie campaign. ‘Nearly everyone living in the region has family and friends who have moved away. By encouraging them to consider moving back to avail of the opportunities here, everyone can help to further develop the region and Roscommon. That’s one of the reasons why LookWest.ie advertising will also target local media – to prompt local people to persuade friends and family to consider moving back.             ‘And interest is not just coming from Dublin. Our analysis of the website traffic shows that, though the bulk of inquiries are coming from Ireland, there’s interest from as far away as Australia. Website visits from the US are particularly high, which may be due to the WDC’s participation in a Fás employment exhibition that was held in New York late last year. Many of those who attended the US event had no connection with Ireland but yet were attracted by the lifestyle that the West of Ireland had to offer.’             Ms. Buckley added, ‘The latest advertising campaign is also aimed at a national and international audience. The campaign positions the region and Roscommon as an attractive location to live, work and set up a business. Investment in infrastructure in the region is continuing. Recently the Lough Key Park redevelopment has been opened and the number of flights using Ireland West Airport Knock is also growing.             ‘Traffic to www.lookwest.ie shows a huge demand for information about the West and though we can’t say how many people have already moved or who will move as a direct result of the campaign, we feel that LookWest plays a big part in helping them make the decision to move West.’