“AI will never replace the Irish”: Tourism Ireland deepens its push in Canada

“In Irish, meitheal means coming together for a collective purpose, and it feels like what we’ve been doing all week,” said Sandra Moffatt, director, Canada, Tourism Ireland, addressing travel partners and media at the Residence of Ireland in Toronto.

Held on Friday (Apr. 17), the gathering was one stop on Tourism Ireland’s “Ireland Goes Beyond” roadshow across Eastern and Atlantic Canada, which was timed to coincide with the 114th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.

The mission brought together 11 Irish industry partners and five in-market tour operators.

Supported by WestJet and Air Canada, the initiative underscored Canada’s growing importance to Ireland’s tourism strategy.

Partners in growth

“When looking at it from a business context, we were all travelling this week for different purposes,” said Moffatt.

“Some [were] selling Ireland and promoting air access, others [were] promoting their businesses to advisors. And then advisors [were] coming to meet to generate revenue for their businesses as well.”

That coordinated push reflects Canada’s growing role in Ireland’s tourism strategy.

“Canada is a big opportunity market for us,” said Claire Fitzgibbon, consul general of Ireland in Toronto.

“It now ranks among the top five global markets for tourism to Ireland, with a plus 35 per cent growth in the past three years. That doesn’t come from nowhere. It takes commitment from all of us.”

Canada-Ireland trade has nearly doubled since the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement took effect in 2017.

The two countries are now each other’s 15th and 16th largest trading partners.

“But it’s all underpinned by people-to-people relationships,” Fitzgibbon said.

“Tourism is a huge part of building those. Canadians visit us, meet wonderful people, see wonderful products and eat fantastic foods like our cheese and whiskey. Then they start buying them here. That really helps boost our economic relationships.”

Human connection in an AI world

While technology is reshaping how travellers plan trips, Moffatt said Ireland’s biggest strength remains deeply human.

“It’s an AI world now. ChatGPT may be replacing how itineraries are built, but it can’t provide the human connection,” she said. 

“AI will never replace the Irish.”

That emphasis on authenticity may resonate with advisors looking for more distinctive European experiences for clients.

“There’s a huge upside for Europe right now,” Moffatt said, pointing to shifting travel patterns among Canadians, partly due to U.S. travel boycotts.

“Advisors are always trying to find new product and new experiences, and Ireland fits that perfectly. It’s also the perfect place to send clients looking to escape the spring break crowd. We just don’t have that.”

Strong ties and airlift

The relationship between the two countries runs deep. 

Roughly six million Canadians claim Irish ancestry, with roots tracing back to waves of immigration in the 18th century, the Great Famine of 1847 and Irish fishing communities in the 1700s.

Historic links, including the first transatlantic cable laid between Valentia Island and Heart’s Content, N.L., in 1866, have evolved into modern air access. 

Today, travellers can fly direct to Ireland from six Canadian gateways: Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, St. John’s, Calgary and Halifax.

“We’re closer than people think,” said Fitzgibbon. 

“You can fly to Ireland in nearly the same time it takes to get from Toronto to Western Canada.”

Eastern and Atlantic Canada were strategically chosen for the roadshow, reflecting their strong historical and cultural ties to Ireland and the return of seasonal non-stop flights.

WestJet will relaunch Halifax-Dublin service on April 26. 

Air Canada will resume St. John’s-Dublin service on May 21 for its second season.

Year-round visits

While Ireland’s peak tourism season remains summer, Tourism Ireland is continuing to push year-round travel.

“We have a year-round product, but we don’t have year-round access across Canada,” said Moffatt. 

“We want to move it from bucket list to book it now.”

Seasonal travel experiences are part of that push. 

Fall offers shoulder-season value, while winter presents an alternative to more traditional European holiday trips.

“People think of continental Europe for Christmas markets, but we have all of that in Ireland,” Moffatt said. 

“Twinkly lights, fireside settings, Irish whiskey and coffee and it’s closer and easier to get to.”

Golf is another year-round draw. 

Ireland is home to roughly one-third of the world’s links courses and will host the Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in 2027.

Then there’s Halloween.

“We’re the birthplace of Halloween, with more than 2,000 years of traditions rooted in Samhain,” Moffatt said. 

“That’s a huge opportunity.”

An unrushed pace

Tourism Ireland’s latest campaign, Ireland Unrushed, reflects a broader shift in traveller behaviour, away from fast-paced itineraries and toward slower, more immersive travel.

“It’s a compact country. You can drive from Dublin to Galway in about two-and-a-half hours, but there’s so much to see,” said Moffatt.

“If you rush from the Cliffs of Moher to Belfast to Dublin in a day, you miss the moments in between. And those are what make a trip memorable.”

Instead, advisors are being encouraged to build itineraries that pair headline attractions with more local experiences, such as visiting fishing villages, dining on regional seafood and meeting local producers, alongside stops at sites like Titanic Belfast and the Dark Hedges.

A clear message to advisors

At its core, the mission carried a simple message: Tourism Ireland wants to support the trade.

“We have a dedicated team in Toronto whose job is to make advisors’ jobs easier,” said Moffatt. 

“We want to help them deliver compelling, memorable travel experiences for their clients.”

Fitzgibbon echoed that message.

“We hope the trade mission leads to new partnerships, heightening awareness of Ireland as a travel destination and raising Ireland’s profile among people making those decisions,” she said.

“And if you’re flying to other parts of Europe, why not consider a stop in Ireland? It’s literally on the way.”

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