Tourism Ireland bids 'Céad Míle Fáilte' to Canadian agents

Tourism Ireland and travel partners welcomed invited travel agents to a roadshow event at the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto, detailing the rich and unique range of experiences Ireland offers to its visitors.

Introductory speeches by Tourism Ireland executives were followed by supplier partner presentations to each table of agents.

Alison Metcalfe, executive vice president – United States & Canada, Tourism Ireland, used her speech to welcome the fact that Ireland had received a record number of tourists in 2016, with 10.5 million visitors to the country last year. She highlighted the fact that it was also a record year for Canadian travel to Ireland, with more than 220,000 Canadians visiting the country in 2016 – a feat that moved the Canadian market into the top 10 market for Irish tourism.

Metcalfe said that three main factors had driven this growth: direct air access from Canada to Ireland; investment in vacation experiences on the ground; and investment in good marketing, focusing on promoting brand experience and giving Canadians a reason to travel during shoulder months.

Dana Welch, manager – Canada, Tourism Ireland, said in her speech that Ireland’s authentic and immersive experiences, in addition to its spectacular and diverse scenery, made it a unique tourist destination for Canadian travellers. She noted Ireland’s recent success at the World Travel Awards, with Titanic Belfast seeing off competition from landmarks such as Macchu Picchu and the Eiffel Tower to claim the title of ‘World’s Leading Tourist Attraction.’ Donegal, meanwhile, was recently named ‘coolest place on the planet’ by National Geographic.

Speaking to PAX after the presentation, Welch emphasized Ireland’s appeal as a destination for all seasons. “It’s a year-round destination,” she commented. “Outside of the peak season, attractions like its museums, heritage and culture exist at any point of the year. You can take advantage of these during the shoulder season when there are less crowds, with additional value – these are great opportunities to take advantage of.”

Tourism Ireland’s trade promotions and e-marketing executive, Jonathan Sargeant, also took the opportunity to describe the country’s potential for travel agents, highlighting it as a particularly suitable destination for groups. Ireland’s diverse range of authentic experiences mean that holidays to the island are highly customizable; Sargeant encouraged agents to visit community.ireland.com for further queries and advice about creating the best experience possible.

The filming of the hugely popular series Game of Thrones and scenes from Star Wars: The Force Awakens at several locations across Ireland has also contributed to a recent surge of tourist interest in the country. Metcalfe confirmed to PAX that Tourism Ireland planned to capitalize on this attention in 2017: “We’ll have some social media campaigns around the launch of the next Game of Thrones series around July time,” she commented. “We’re always looking to connect that back to travel to Ireland. We will also be highlighting Star Wars – particularly in the digital space and on social media.”