Millions of Chinese people tuned in to Chinese network China Central Television (CCTV 4) this week to watch a documentary showcasing Ireland as a tourist destination.
‘Glamorous Ireland’ was shot over seven days and featured some of Ireland's major attractions including Trinity College, Dublin Castle, Blarney Castle and UCC.
The 45-minute documentary, which aired at 7:15pm local time, also featured the Ireland's farming and produce, crafts and entertainment as well as family and social life.
Tourism Ireland chief Niall Gibbons said the documentary is a great way of showcasing Ireland to prospective Chinese tourists, a sector in the Irish tourism market that is rapidly growing.
"Working with journalists and TV crews is a key element of our annual promotional programme in China, to help secure a greater share of the 3+ million Chinese visitors who travel to Europe each year. Tourism Ireland aims to grow the number of Chinese visitors to the island of Ireland to 50,000 per year, by 2017,” said Gibbons.
Tourism Ireland has offices in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Chengdu. It has worked with local media to generate positive publicity for Ireland in China, where outgoing tourism is at an all-time high.
