To celebrate both the #ArrivalRevival of in-person events and St Patrick’s Day on Thursday, Tourism Ireland treated industry friends and partners to an intimate lunch in Sydney yesterday.
As travel comes out of a somber period, Sofia Hansson, Regional Manager of Tourism Ireland ANZ expressed her gratitude to key partners and the media for their continued support in promoting the island of Ireland as a must-see destination.
“Tourism is an extremely important industry for Ireland,” she said.
“Before COVID-19, in 2019, we welcomed almost 11.3 million overseas visitors to the island of Ireland with around 250,000 from ANZ. Tourism was one of our largest indigenous industries, supporting around 325,000 jobs in communities right across the island.”
With Tourism Ireland’s 2022 priority to restart tourism, especially now that entry restrictions have been lifted, guests were reminded of not only the island’s traditional attractions including the spectacular greenscapes, rugged coastlines, history, vibrant cities and local charm, but also the latest drawcard that is the Game of Thrones Studio Tour, and the newest region, Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands.
Rosie Keane, Consulate General of Ireland, said with Australia being home to the third-largest Irish diaspora in the world, “a trip to Ireland brings an opportunity to renew those familial bonds, and to rediscover one’s ancestral heritage.”
She also reiterated that “Ireland is known as the land of a hundred thousand welcomes, and for good reason. Whether you are of Irish descent or a newcomer to our shores, you can be assured of a very warm and lively welcome once you touch down in Ireland.”
As part of the celebration on St Patrick’s Day, Sofia also shared that Tourism Ireland’s unique Green Button Festival will be brought to life at Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal from 11am to 7pm on Thursday 17 March, where people can activate performances by simply scanning the giant QR code on the billboard, and pressing the green button.
The first of its kind festival for Tourism Ireland, this activation will also take place in Milan, London and New York.
In the coming months, the industry will also hear more about the Green Button Campaign as Tourism Ireland rolls out the green carpet to welcome travellers back to the island once again.
For more information, visit www.ireland.com.