Little did Tanya Cathcart know that her teenage years in Kesh Young Farmers' Club would become such a great grounding for her future career in tourism.

Not to mention an internet viral sensation that sent a feel-good factor far beyond the realms of the Fermanagh Lakelands that she knows and loves so well.

Public speaking, debating, drama and stock judging of pigs, sheep, beef and dairy cows are the staples among the activities offered by this effervescent organisation for young people. Tanya relished them all, though, by her own admission, her ability to appreciate a well-turned-out heifer might well have diminished with the passing of the years.

Not so with the drama. Three years ago in February 2021, with Tanya at the helm, Fermanagh Lakeland Tourism took on the Jerusalema Dance Challenge and their offering became an overnight social media triumph.

The Marble Arch Caves, Enniskillen Golf Club, Corralea Activity Centre, Enniskillen Castle, Arch House, O’Doherty’s Butchers, the Killyhevlin and the Manor House Country Hotel all enthusiastically participated in the video that received 100,000 views on the very first day that it was released.

Whether naturally gifted rock n’ rollers or not, men, women and children line danced their hearts out in a series of simple choreographed steps that did not fail to bring a smile to the faces of the performers and those watching at home and around the world.

With social distancing restrictions in place, it was a particularly tough time for businesses across the region and this seasoned tourism practitioner knew that the moment was right to try to boost the mood.

"We saw that An Garda Síochána had done the challenge and subsequently were invited to a good-natured contest by the Swiss Police – so we thought we can do something like that for the Fermanagh Lakelands. It was lockdown and we hoped that it would be a quirky way to get the local tourism trade involved, showcase what the area has to offer and most importantly lift people’s spirits and have a bit of fun," Tanya said.

The response to the call out for entrants was heartening. Everyone who responded got the chance to take part including Tanya. The successful video was filmed, edited and released with rapier-like speed in only a few days.

Tanya continued: "The whole experience was breathtaking. We got a cross-section of people including staff from Fermanagh Lakeland Tourism and Enniskillen Castle Museum who did their dance down beside the water at the Castle. The ladies at Enniskillen Golf Club embraced the whole idea as well and turned out to be nifty movers. Everybody enjoyed it and it was an innovative, fun way of reaching out to people at home and abroad. After a very short time it had amassed a quarter of a million hits, we were truly staggered."

Raised in the small village of Tullyhommon near Pettigo, Tanya has lived in the village of Ballinamallard since 1988. She retired last year from her role as manager with Fermanagh Lakeland Tourism and with more than a glint in her eye, now wonders how she had time to work.

"Between golf, tennis, the grandchildren and travelling with my husband I don’t know where the weeks go. I feel lucky to live where I do and to have had the career that I had in tourism in a place that I truly believe is the envy of the world in terms of what we have to offer visitors."

In numerous conversations with Tanya over many years it was easy to deduce that this was the right woman in the right job. Though had it not been for two years away from home immediately after leaving school, things might have been very different,

"I didn’t really know what I wanted to do after A-Levels so I opted for a bi-lingual secretarial course at the College of Business Studies in Belfast. After two years there I came home and started work in Coopers and Lybrand solicitors in Enniskillen before moving to a position in the administration department in the Townhall. Before long a job came up as a Promotions Assistant in the Lakeland Visitor Centre, which at that time was the name of the Tourist Office run by the council opposite the bus station."

In the 1980s tourism was a very different environment in which to work. Tanya recalls a typed list of accommodation premises which were repeatedly photocopied and handed out to visitors. They also sold fishing licences, permits and limited souvenir stock in the Tourist Office.

"When I started in the industry the Marble Arch Caves had only just opened and they very quickly became a huge attraction. Since the mid-eighties, there has been an immense surge in tourism development in the county and considerable investment by both the public and private sector. Cruising and angling were a big draw for Fermanagh even back then and the cruiser hire operators were extremely proactive in promoting these sectors."

At this time Tanya recalls that her duties included dealing with visitor enquiries but also undertaking numerous public relations activities to sing the praises of the Fermanagh Lakelands. In those days the council had a promotional vehicle kitted out as a mini tourist office and she would regularly spend a week at a time in numerous shopping centre car parks in Belfast, Derry, Newtownards and Bangor talking up her home county to potential visitors.

As her career and the tourism industry developed across the island, increasingly her role included international travel which required a fair bit of juggling to get the work/life balance right.

"My husband Neville has always been very good. We have been married since 1988 and he was always very hands-on with our two kids, Chloe and Ashley, which was just as well as my job continually evolved and I travelled a lot to America, Canada, Europe, China and Australia."

In terms of marketing, Tanya acknowledges that there have been seismic changes in the last three decades. 30 years ago the emphasis was on print material and getting out and about to exhibitions and events within Ireland and overseas to promote the region as well as Northern Ireland and the country as a whole.

She concedes that now we are in a very different era with the ever-increasing need for a strong online presence. Without a doubt, the internet has made the world a much smaller place but equally, the opportunities that have accompanied its dominance cannot be underestimated.

In 1999, Fermanagh Lakeland Tourism was set up with support from the local council, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (now Tourism NI) and direct involvement from the private sector. A number of regional tourism organisations were established across the province allowing the public and private sector to work more effectively together. At this point, there was access to funding pots that these days simply do not exist.

The tourism industry in Fermanagh and businesses that benefit from tourism contribute financially to the organisation. The private sector has been dedicated in terms of support through investment over many years.

Tanya revelled in all aspects of her job; getting to know the local industry, watching local tourism businesses develop, travelling to spread the word about Fermanagh across the world and getting to know her counterparts in other regions. She has met and entertained journalists and tour operators, worked on campaigns, and done countless television and radio interviews.

"It certainly kept me on my toes and was a wonderful industry to work in. We also had great staff over the years in Fermanagh Lakeland Tourism and everyone was and still is committed to the job. Hopefully, tourism will continue to develop in this region – visitors are now looking for more authentic experiences and destinations outside of the main honey pots. We have so much to offer. The trick is to invest in getting the word out there so that tourism can continue to grow."

There is no doubt that this proud daughter of Fermanagh has left a legacy that bodes well for tourism to thrive in the Lakeland County for many generations to come.