Tourism Ireland invited a group of 17 top UK inbound tour operators on a fact-finding visit of Ireland this week, in advance of attending a B2B workshop with Irish tourism enterprises in Dublin.
The visiting tour operators are responsible for putting in place the arrangements for holidaymakers to Britain and the island of Ireland from all over the world, so the aim of their visit – organised in conjunction with Fáilte Ireland – was to help grow Ireland’s share of the huge, worldwide tourism market, with a particular focus on increasing business from new and emerging tourism markets like China, Brazil and Russia.
The group enjoyed a tour of Belvedere House and Gardens and a visit to Kilbeggan Distillery. Then it was on to Johnstown House Hotel, where they enjoyed lunch and undertook a site visit of the hotel.
David Boyce, Tourism Ireland, said: “Tourism Ireland was delighted to invite this group of UK inbound tour operators to come and experience what Ireland has to offer. The majority of our overseas visitors come from the core markets of Great Britain, North America and Mainland Europe, and while this will continue, it is important that we expand our focus beyond these markets and look to the long-term opportunities presented by ‘new’ tourism markets, which we believe will play an increasing role in the future of the travel and tourism industry. It is therefore crucial that influential operators working in these markets get to experience Ireland, and the high standard of our tourism offering, at first-hand.”
David Boyce continued: “2014 was a record year for visitor numbers from Ireland’s long-haul markets – and 2015 is also looking positive, with the most recent CSO figures showing growth of +9% in visitor numbers from Australia and developing markets for January to August. Tourism Ireland is determined to ensure that this growth continues and our busy autumn campaign is now in full swing.”
