Tourism Ireland was on the road last week with its Ireland Goes Beyond Sales Mission, showcasing how Ireland is not just a place to visit, but one that invites you in to be a part of it.
Along with 18 industry partners from both the island of Ireland and Canada, the mission made stops in St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador on April 13; Halifax, Nova Scotia on April 14; Moncton, New Brunswick on April 15; and Montreal, Quebec on April 16.
The region was strategically selected, leveraging its strong historical and cultural ties to Ireland and celebrating the relaunch of seasonal non-stop flights. WestJet will relaunch the Halifax-Dublin route on April 26, followed by the reestablished St. John’s-Dublin route which will take off for its second year starting May 21. During the mission, Tourism Ireland made its first visit to Moncton where it met with travel professional in the feeder city before concluding in Montreal where Air Canada’s non-stop route commences on May 15, operating 4x weekly.
Tourism Ireland’s roadshow also capitalized on the destination’s momentum, offering travel advisors more information on the wide array of potential offerings the destination has to offer to drive bookings.
A group of 11 Irish delegates showcased Ireland’s culinary experiences, luxury accommodations and transport options, historic landmarks and activities through a series of B2B appointments, giving advisors the opportunity to connect with the partners and product to create standout vacations for their clients. Most importantly, they illustrated the famed Irish hospitality and how locals can help trips go beyond all expectation.
Sandra Moffatt, Country Director of Canada for Tourism Ireland, said that: “Canada now ranks among the top five global markets for tourism to Ireland with +35% growth in the past three years. Returning to Eastern Canada with this delegation of Irish industry partners demonstrates our commitment in the market and underscores the strong opportunity to tap into the growing demand for travel to the island of Ireland.”
Moffatt continued: “Our goal is to support advisors in delivering compelling travel opportunities to their clients. Not only will we showcase exciting new products but give each attendee a true taste of that Irish spirit, offering a glimpse into how Ireland goes beyond expectations and invites visitors to forge meaningful and memorable connections.”
The Ireland Goes Beyond roadshow visited Halifax on the 114th anniversary of the Titanic’s Sinking. Built in Belfast, the resolution of the Titanic story was in Halifax where many of the lost souls were buried. Tourism Ireland was joined by TBL International Limited, the parent company of Titanic Belfast, CEO Judith Owens for the stop to discuss the Canada-Ireland Titanic connection and the increased demand of Canadian tourists.
Tourism Ireland was also joined by six in-market partners, including tour operators Brendan Vacations, CIE Tours, Globus Family of Brands, GoWay Travel, Royal Irish Tours and WestJet.
Together, these partners showcase direct non-stop air access into Ireland from gateways across Canada and provide travel advisors with a range of specialized options to help design, plan and book trips for all types of clients, from escorted tours or fly-and-drive vacations, to solo travel and slow tourism itineraries.
The 11 island of Ireland industry partners in attendance included AC Tours Ireland Ltd.; Cronin’s Coaches; Guinness Storehouse; Hastings Hotels; Ireland’s Blue Book; Irish National Stud and Gardens; Kylemore Abbey & Garden; O’Donoghue Ring Collection; Titanic Belfast; Vintage Tea Trips; and Visit Armagh.
Go to www.tourismireland.com for more.
In the photo
Seen here, from l to r, in the back row are: Michelle Lebel – Globus, Diego Perez – CIE Tours, Sandra Bailey Moffatt – Tourism Ireland, Melissa Skanes – Goway, Conor Duffy – Royal Irish Tours, Amanda Kelly – Irish National Stud, Jessica Ridge – Kylemore Abbey, Ciara McCaughey – Vintage Tea Trips
And seen here, from l to r, in the front row are: Gráinne Morrison – Guinness Storehouse, Chantal Gouveia – AC Group, Ghilian Campbell – Visit Armagh, Patrice Lavery – Hastings Hotels, Lauren Lamonday – Tourism Ireland, Niamh O’Neill – O’Donoghue Ring Collection, Tiernan McGee – Titanic Belfast Experience.
