Athlone is to host a major tourism conference next month.
The event, titled Tourism: Big Impact, Small Footprint will take place in the Radisson Blue Hotel on the 18th of September.
Organised by the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation, the conference will feature speakers such as former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, incoming Late Late Show host Patrick Kielty and UN advisor Anita Mendiratta.
A special report will be presented at the opening of the conference on how Ireland is dealing with a shortage of over 11,000 hotel rooms.
The event will be hosted by broadcaster Dearbhail McDonald and will be opened by Elaina Fitzgerald Kane, Chair of the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation.