Visitors from Dublin, which has "a high-spending, mobile population", should be encouraged to visit Limerick as a "must-see destination", a consultants' report prepared for Limerick Corporation recommends.
The blueprint for a five-year plan says a "brand Limerick" should be devised to promote the city in a unified way among all agencies. It stresses the value of the city's history, its high-tech industries and its successful urban renewal programmes as props for its marketing.
It says a promotions office, with a £2 million budget over five years, should be established and a director of marketing appointed with responsibility for states says the city's success will continue to lie in the public-private partnership model, used in securing the State's first 50-metre swimming pool which is being constructed at the University of Limerick.
A "Limerick Forum" should be created, drawn from public, private and community interests, "to ensure ownership of the plan amongst all groups".
"The launch of the National Development Plan presents Limerick with a significant one-off opportunity and challenge to complete the job that has been started by the urban renewal programme," the report states.
Produced by consultants Grant Thornton, the document has been seen by The Irish Times, in advance of today's corporation meeting. Among the recommendations to attract visitors are ones aimed at improving the city as a "product". These would involve the development of a pedestrianised heart, linking the main shopping areas with the proposed new marina, an international conference centre funded by a public/private partnership and greater enforcement of the Litter Act through the installation of closed-circuit cameras and the policing of trouble spots. An international architectural competition is proposed for a streetscape design.
"The success of Limerick 2005 will require the unqualified commitment of all public and private partners in setting up, funding and implementation of this plan," the report adds.