Driving tourism, enabling corporate rewards and locking spend into the area are key aims for a newly launched gift card in Kilkenny.
The Kilkenny Gift Card replaces the paper Kilkenny Gift Vouchers introduced in 2012 by Kilkenny Chamber, which have generated over €1.3 million in sales to date.
A collaboration between Kilkenny Chamber and Kilkenny County Council, the new gift card is Mastercard backed allowing recipients to spend with multiple retailers, eateries, attractions, venues and service businesses in the region, with the balance automatically updated.
Hotels and accommodation providers are also accepting the new gift card. Colin Ahern is the general manager at the Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel and said:
“The Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel is a 4 star city centre hotel with a restaurant, leisure club and bar. We’ve been a part of the gift voucher programme since the start and are looking forward to the new physical and digital Kilkenny Gift Card because it will be a lot easier for people to use and as a result, I think a lot more people will partake in it. It takes away the worries that people feel about using paper vouchers such as how to get change and they have the option of a physical Gift Card or a digital e-card. It’s seamless.
“Tourism is a €180 million industry in Kilkenny, and we need to increase that further. The new Kilkenny Gift Card will absolutely facilitate tourism because it allows people to try many different experiences in one visit, from shopping to eating out and staying over. As well as driving tourism, the gift card will encourage people to shop local and spend local. Brand Kilkenny is so important to us as a business and the Kilkenny Gift Card reinforces the brand.”
Kilkenny retailers are welcoming the new card. Martin Costello is director of Murphy Jewellers and said the new gift card offers enhanced choice, ease and support for local:
“We all like to support local when we can and the benefit of the new Kilkenny Gift Card is that it’s a local option where the money stays in Kilkenny and supports local businesses. There’s also a lot more choice for recipients and unlike the paper vouchers which didn’t offer change, people can spend as they like with the balance on the card automatically updated.
“It makes a huge difference when people support local. Online is at the forefront of many buying decisions now, and to be able to offer a local gift card that is easy to use for customers and businesses is hugely beneficial. And when people receive the gift card, it will encourage them to explore more of what’s on offer in Kilkenny.”
The Kilkenny Gift Card can also be used in a practical way with service based businesses including Marble City Fuels. Owner of Marble City Fuels Colin Ahern said:
“We’ve been in business for 16 years. The Chamber voucher has been a fantastic initiative to keep money local and we’ve noticed a dramatic increase in people using their vouchers to buy fuel over the last few years. Any initiative that promotes and keeps money local has to be supported. I think the new physical and digital gift card Kilkenny Gift Card is a positive step, giving more opportunity to measure impact. It will also encourage younger people to support local.
“The fact that the Kilkenny Gift Card can be used on practical items as well as many other things is very important. For Kilkenny employers, there is a huge emphasis on ways to keep money local and the gift card guarantees the money stays local. If an employee receives the gift card for Christmas, a €400-€500 spend on fuel will cover their fuel for 2-3 months, which is hugely beneficial for them, particularly in current times when people may have challenges around finances. The new Kilkenny Gift Card ticks all the boxes.”
John Hurley is chief executive at Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce and said the card will make support for local easier for all users:
“The Kilkenny Gift Card is a gift card for locals, organisations and tourists alike which is easy to both buy and spend. It’s all about making support for local simple for all users. Tourism is a huge industry in Kilkenny welcoming 100,000 visitors each year, and with a single gift card, people can eat, shop, stay and explore Kilkenny.
“Another huge benefit of the new gift card will be the ease that organisations can support their community by using the card for staff rewards. The paper vouchers were too unwieldy for organisations to distribute in large quantities, whereas the new gift card can be purchased by organisations in their chosen denominations easily, either as physical cards to hand over or e-cards to add to digital wallets, which employees either swipe or tap to pay checking their balance at any time using the QR code on the card.”
Kilkenny County Council’s Local Enterprise Office is backing the Kilkenny Gift Card as part of its #ShopKilkenny campaign for 2024. Aileen McGrath, Head of Enterprise, Kilkenny Local Enterprise Office said:
“We’re proud to give our support to the newly launched Kilkenny Gift Card so we can build on the ‘shop local’ sentiment that has developed around the #ShopKilkenny campaign in 2024, and take it to the next level with a high-tech gift card. Making support for local easy and enjoyable is key to keeping spend in our area and providing tangible support for our fantastic array of retailers.”
The Kilkenny Gift Card is part of the multi award winning Town & City Gift Card concept active across Ireland in Ballinrobe, Carndonagh, Drogheda, Letterkenny, Sligo and Waterford. Over €7 million Town & City Gift Cards were sold in Ireland in 2023, with around 80% of sales to organisations for staff rewards and incentives.
Colin Munro is the managing director of Miconex and said: “Ireland has one of the most generous schemes in the world to enable organisations to reward their staff tax free up to €1,000 per employee with the Small Benefit Exemption. Using the Kilkenny Gift Card to reward your staff tax free this Christmas and beyond not only gives your team the benefit of unbeatable local choice, it shows your support for your community, making a tangible positive impact on local economies.”
The Kilkenny Gift Card is available to buy for consumers and organisations.
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