A Fermanagh company is investing more than £2m in a development of holiday cottages.

Portagaria Trading Company has built four luxury traditional holiday cottages at Leggs near Boa Island on Lower Lough Erne.

It is planning to expand the development, including the addition of a new visitor reception centre.

The investment is being supported by Ulster Bank and will include holiday homes and the conversion of part of a disused railway trackbed on the 40-acre site at Portagaria Wood as a tourist facility.

The company is run by chartered surveyor John Lowry, who said he was confident that the area had considerable tourist potential.

Sean Dolan, senior manager at Ulster Bank's Fermanagh and West Tyrone business centre, said seven cottages would open by the middle of next year, with applications for planning permission being made for more units.

“John is set to invest significantly in marketing the development and is particularly confident of attracting visitors from Republic of Ireland and elsewhere in the eurozone, based on experiences to date,” he said.

“Fermanagh has massive tourism potential as one of the most beautiful counties on the island. In addition, Northern Ireland's tourism status has been rising with positive messages being sent out around the world due to political progress.

“This has been supported by the strength of the euro against sterling which makes holidaying in Northern Ireland very attractive to those living in the eurozone.”

Ulster Bank has financed other hotel developments including Belfast's Merchant Hotel, the Bushmills Inn, La Mon Hotel and Country Club and a £14m Ramada ‘Encore' hotel which is under construction at St Anne's Square in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter.