Tourism Ireland has completed its first roadshow down under in four years, following nine days of activities in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland.
With the theme ‘Experience Ireland’, Tourism Ireland’s 2023 Roadshow saw more than 400 travel advisors and 150 industry executives hear from nine Irish tourism suppliers along with Tourism Ireland Vice President of North America, Australia and New Zealand, Alison Metcalfe.
Updates tied in with the country’s Press the Green Button visitor recovery campaign. And there was plenty of traditional live Irish music and dancing at each event. Because what’s an Irish party without some craic?
“This roadshow has been a very important part of the rebuilding phase of travel to the island of Ireland, to ensure that our valued local Australian and New Zealand industry partners are updated on the excellent tourism offerings available across the island in 2023, and beyond,” Metcalfe said.
Green tourism push
Significantly, sustainable tourism was a key focus of the events.
“During the events we have also highlighted Tourism Ireland’s ongoing goals for sustainable travel, including encouraging Australian and New Zealand travel agents to book their clients in the shoulder seasons, and to visit some of the lesser-known sites and regions across the Island of Ireland,” Metcalfe added.
Tourism Ireland Australia and New Zealand Director Sofia Hansson also talked up the sales mission, calling it “an important element of our programme of activity in the market this year to highlight the many things to see and do, and all that is new and exciting, on a holiday in Ireland”.
“Through the events we have been able to showcase the ways in which Tourism Ireland supports the travel trade through ongoing training and webinars, co-op marketing campaigns, and famil opportunities to the Island of Ireland,” Hansson said.
Suppliers at the roadshow included EPIC the IRISH Emigration Museum, Titanic Belfast, Original Irish Hotels, Killeavy Castle, Park Hotel Kenmare, Griffin Group, Visit Derry, MCT Tours and Hastings Hotels.
For more information visit www.ireland.com.
Main image: (L-R) Michael Cowell (MCT Tours), Sofia Hansson (Tourism Ireland), Finola McDermott (EPIC), Alison Metcalfe (Tourism Ireland), Eimear Lafferty (Titanic Belfast), Eoin McGrath (Hastings Hotels), Robin and Mick Boyle (Killeavy Castle), Fiona Delahunty (Griffin Group), Alison Deegan (Original Irish Hotels), Odhran Dunne (Visit Derry) and Francis Brennan (Park Hotel Kenmare)
