Irish Taoiseach visits Toronto

Taoiseach na hÉireann (Prime Minister of Ireland) Enda Kenny was in Toronto last Friday as part of a whistle-stop tour of Canada aimed at promoting the island of Ireland as a tourist destination for Canadian travellers, and highlighting the historic bond between Ireland and Canada.

Speaking at a lunch event in downtown Toronto, Kenny emphasized the links between the two countries, noting that 14 to 15 per cent of Canadians trace their links directly back to the Irish. He paid tribute to the strong work being done behind the scenes by Discover Ireland in attracting Canadian tourists to the island, and said that agencies at Enterprise Ireland were also working to foster stronger ties with the Canadian business community.

Political talk was short on the ground during the event, but Siobhán McManamy, director of markets, Tourism Ireland, told PAX that she expected the island to weather the potential turmoil of Brexit, amid concern that the imposition of a ‘hard border’ could destabilize travel between north and south.

"At the moment, there’s a very strong commitment both in the papers submitted by the U.K. and by the European Union that Ireland is going to be a special case, and will be protected," she commented.

Indeed, Alison Metcalfe, executive vice-president, USA & Canada, Tourism Ireland, noted Ireland’s burgeoning reputation as a travel destination for Canadian tourists, driven predominantly by increased air access from Canada to Ireland and an increase in marketing investment by Tourism Ireland and its partners.

"One other point we should add for the travel agent community is a reminder of how easy it is to get to Ireland from Canada," she told PAX. "We’ve seen a significant increase in air access this year – a 25 per cent increase in direct air capacity during the peak summer months. It’s never been easier to get there."

She also highlighted the strength of the Canadian dollar against the Euro.

"It’s easy to get there, and it’s only six hours as well," she commented. "You can get to Ireland quicker, sometimes, than you can get to Vancouver."

The Taoiseach concluded his speech by urging Canadian travellers considering a holiday to make the journey to Ireland, where he said they would be greeted with "open arms and warm generosity. Go east this time."