A new cross-Border initiative is to be launched to market the Border region for television and film production.
Louth County Council and Newry and Mourne District Council have formed a Border film commission to market the region to national and international film producers.
Several producers have already expressed an interest in filming in the area and at least one production would be a drama series to be screened on Irish television.
The Louth, Newry and Mourne Film Commission has yet to be formally launched but its newly appointed director begins work later this month.
Louth arts officer Brian Harten says the project has secured €300,000 in funding from the EU-funded Interreg programme and hopes to attract some of the €136 million a year that the Irish film and television industry attracts from foreign investors.
"Imagine what just 1 per cent of that could do for the hospitality industry, casual labour, tradesmen and small and medium enterprises in our area," he said.
"One aspect of the Troubles was that it resulted in low numbers of tourists in Louth, Newry and Mourne, despite the outstanding scenery in the Cooley Peninsula and the Ring of Gullion.
"What the film commission will do is show off this area as a potential backdrop for productions of all types."
However he also believes it can play an important role in attracting overseas visitors, "by putting us on the map for tourists who want to visit film locations in the same way Ballykissangel in Wicklow does".
The commission will advise film-makers on the various tax incentives available in both jurisdictions and hopes to be "a one- stop-shop for TV and film- makers".
It has already got the support of numerous bodies such as the Garda and the PSNI on issues such as road closures and generally facilitating location shoots and post-production requirements.