Tourism Ireland in the United States launched its marketing plans for 2025 this month, at an event in New York attended by leading US tour operators, airlines and journalists from the tri-State area.
The group plans to prioritise the United States once again in 2025, as a market which offers a strong return on investment, in terms of holiday visitors and expenditure. The US is the island of Ireland’s second-largest source of overseas tourism revenue (27% of all tourism revenue).
“Looking to the year ahead, we have an ambitious marketing programme to support a healthy tourism industry through the regional and season spread of visitors," said Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland’s head of North America.
"This year, there are direct flights from 22 different US gateways, including new services from Detroit, Indianapolis and Nashville, which will certainly help drive growth."
‘Slow Tourism Month’
New for 2025 is ‘Slow Tourism Month’, in June. Tourism Ireland plans to enable more exploration, with trip ideas that allow for dwell time in communities and scenery and that can be enjoyed by rail, bus or with tour partners, winning overnight stays across regions.
Meanwhile, Tourism Ireland’s ‘Fill your heart with Ireland’ campaign aims to deliver an estimated 289 million opportunities to see in the US in 2025. The campaign is running on multiple channels, including on TV in key gateway cities, Connected TV (including Amazon and, Disney+), as well as on social and digital.
Sport will also play a key role in Tourism Ireland's marketing plans with golf in particular playing a major role, as Northern Ireland hosts The Open at Royal Portrush in July and Ireland prepares for the Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in 2027.
Tourism Ireland claims partnerships with leading US golf media will be rolled out to leverage the tourism potential of these prestigious sporting events.
The Aer Lingus College Football Classic will take place once again in Dublin in August, this time between Kansas State and Iowa State, delivering an estimated €100 million to the economy. Ireland is also set to host a regular season NFL fixture for the first time in autumn 2025.
'Key Opportunities'
"With 80% of visitors researching and booking trips online, we will be sharing daily inspiration with our followers on social media and supporting deep research visits on our website, increasingly optimised for AI," said Metcalfe.
"Working with US broadcasters, we look forward to TV and streaming shows featuring reasons to visit that will air to key audiences.
"Sporting moments like The Open at Royal Portrush and the Aer Lingus College Football Classic present key opportunities, with promotional programmes already under way."
