Tourism Ireland’s has kicked off a ‘Jump into Ireland’ sales blitz in the United States, taking in the cities of Boston, Chicago and Seattle.
Over the coming days, Tourism Ireland, together with a delegation of 13 companies from the island of Ireland and five American tour operators, will meet travel professionals based in all three cities. The busy schedule involves a 60-minute TV show format highlighting Ireland, as well as networking sessions with travel and lifestyle journalists, providing an excellent platform to showcase and sell Ireland to important travel decision-makers in each city.
In Seattle, Tourism Ireland will highlight the new Aer Lingus flight between Seattle and Dublin, due to commence on May 18, which will offer more choice to prospective American visitors living in Washington State.
Tourism Ireland’s Head of North America, Alison Metcalfe, commented, “Our ‘Jump into Ireland’ sales blitz to Boston, Chicago and Seattle this week provides an excellent platform to spread the word about the many great things to see and do right around the island of Ireland. Last year, we welcomed a record 1.83 million North American visitors to the island of Ireland. In 2018, we are confident that our strategy – combined with more airline seats than ever before from the US, as well as the strength and competitiveness of the vacation experience right around the island of Ireland – will deliver further growth. Our aim is to deliver a 5% increase in visitor numbers and 7% increase in revenue from North America in 2018.”
This is the second stage of the 2018 series of ‘Jump into Ireland’ (JITI) sales blitzes. The programme kicked off at the end of February, taking in Houston (Texas), Tampa (Florida) and Atlanta (Georgia). Similar events will take place in California – in Silicon Valley, Orange County and San Fernando Valley – in November.
© 2018 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
