18 tourism companies from Ireland took part in virtual sales missions hosted by Tourism Ireland in Germany last week and the previous week.
The sales missions were online events organised by Tourism Ireland to allow the participating tourism companies from Ireland to connect with key German tour operators via a series of virtual interactive roundtable discussions.
Two more sales missions are also planned for this week and early October.
The aim of the sales missions is to highlight the many experiences and attractions on offer in Ireland to the participating German tour operators in a bid to build anticipation for future trips and remind them about the many reasons for their clients to visit Ireland.
Tourism Ireland director of markets Siobhan McManamy stated, "Tourism Ireland is delighted that so many influential German tour operators are taking the time to join us, and our partners from Ireland, for our German sales missions this autumn. The participation of these German travel professionals is a strong indication that there is really good interest in Ireland and our tourism offering. Our message for these tour operators is that we cannot wait to welcome back their clients."
Ireland Named "Official Travel Destination" Of Notre Dame Athletics
Meanwhile a new partnership between Tourism Ireland in the USA and University of Notre Dame Athletics to promote Ireland was announced before the Notre Dame v Purdue football game on Saturday September 18.
The partnership, which will run until April 2022, kicked off on the Notre Dame campus in South Bend, Indiana, with a special game day promotion, where the Notre Dame ‘Fighting Irish’ fans could visit the Tourism Ireland booth to enter a competition to win a trip for two to Ireland.
The new partnership offers Tourism Ireland an opportunity, as the "official travel destination of Notre Dame Athletics", to leverage the strong Irish heritage of the University of Notre Dame’s alumni and fans, and to showcase Ireland to them as a ‘must visit’ holiday destination.
Future activity will include a mix of online and in-person promotions. In addition, Notre Dame alumni and former sports stars will travel to Ireland in the spring of 2022, and photos and video highlights of their time in Ireland will then be shared on the social channels of Tourism Ireland and Notre Dame Athletics.
The campaign is expected to reach approximately 21 million people.
Tourism Ireland's head of North America, Alison Metcalfe, stated, "As we begin to restart tourism from the United States to Ireland, we are excited about our new partnership with University of Notre Dame Athletics. It will further strengthen the long-established links between Notre Dame and Ireland and encourage fans and alumni alike to keep Ireland 'front of mind' for future vacations. Working with high profile, non-travel brands and partners is part of Tourism Ireland's strategy to reach our target audience in the United States in new and unexpected ways."
According to Tourism Ireland, before the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States was the second-largest source market for tourism to the island of Ireland, and Ireland welcomed 1.7 million American visitors, whose visits generated revenue of €1.6 billion, in 2019.
Spotlight On Ireland In Arizona
Additionally, four tourism companies from Ireland joined Tourism Ireland virtually over the weekend at the annual Global Travel Marketplace West (GTM West) in Arizona.
GTM West is a busy two-day event which, this year, involved a programme of bespoke one-to-one in-person appointments, in which Tourism Ireland participated.
Four tourism companies from Ireland also engaged in a number of "boardroom" style sessions virtually to showcase their products to the high-end North American travel advisors that were in attendance.
Tourism Ireland highlighted Ireland to the influential North American travel advisors, building anticipation for future trips and reminding them about the many reasons for their clients to visit Ireland.
Metcalfe stated, "Tourism Ireland was delighted to attend this year's GTM West in Arizona, in person. The two-day event provided a fantastic platform to showcase the many things to see and do across Ireland. GTM West also provided a valuable opportunity for our partners from Ireland to showcase their product and connect virtually with the North American travel advisors. Our message for these travel advisors was that we cannot wait to welcome back their clients."
© 2021 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
