By Barry Coughlan
Tourism Ireland’s new CEO Alice Mansergh headed up an auspicious group of travel experts at a new tourism marketing launch in North America, held in New York.
In the company of leading US travel industry representatives and media from the tri-state area, Ms Mansergh last night pledged that Irish Tourism would continue a drive towards record numbers heading to Ireland this year, after an amazing post-Covid recovery.
She pointed out that 2023 was the first full year of trading for tourism since the pandemic and said: “Tourism Ireland was active throughout the year, with an extensive and targeted program of activity marketing the island of Ireland globally.”
For years, privileged parts of Ireland have thrived, but recent decades have thrust smaller counties into the spotlight as tourists’ tastes changed and developed. Ms Mansergh is a huge advocate of developing potential in each and every county in the country, north and south.
She told her important New York audience: “In 2024, our aim is to increase the value of overseas tourism to the island of Ireland, and support in a sustainable way the economies, communities and the environment. The island of Ireland has so much to offer across regions and seasons, from best known spots to hidden gems.”
She pointed out that her organization, and Fáilte Ireland, had an exciting year ahead, as the country marks the 10th anniversary of the Wild Atlantic Way and a year of culture with Belfast 2024.”
Inevitably, she touched on the iconic St Patrick’s Festival that is celebrated worldwide, and which in Ireland, attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors, many of them from the USA, Canada and further afield, but she also said that Spring and Fall had even wider interest for visitors.
Ms Mansergh believes that Halloween in Ireland, can also be developed into a major attraction for tourists to Ireland from worldwide and referred to the place Halloween now has in North American celebration of culture.
However, she reminded her audience, “Halloween all began in Celtic culture over 2000 years ago.”
“The US”, she said, “is a hugely valued market for Irish tourism, with ties and friendship that go back a long, long way. At Tourism Ireland, we will be collaborating with air, tour and travel partners to make it more accessible than ever to come and enjoy the island of Ireland in 2024.
Business tourism is also an area which Ms Mansergh has identified to boost passenger figures into Ireland. “Tourism Ireland will roll out a nationwide Business Events program this year, where we initiate sales missions, attend conferences, trade shows, and incentive summits –marketing the island of Ireland as a world-class Business Events and Incentive Travel destinations.”
On a more general level, Tourism Ireland aims to increase the value of overseas tourism to the island of Ireland, growing revenue by 5.6% per year, over the next six years to 2030, while also supporting local communities and the environment, inspiring visitors, and strengthening strategic partnerships. In relation to Northern Ireland, the organization aims to grow revenue by 6.5% annually.
The US market remains the number one source market by revenue for Irish tourism and continues to offer significant growth potential to a country that has an award-winning tourism product, a committed industry where there are excellent relationships in place with the US travel trade.
There are opportunities to grow revenue, especially outside of the peak season when there is capacity ready to be filled, which Ms Mansergh is determined will come to fruition in the years ahead.
To do so will involve continuous liaison with tourism partners and Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland, Executive Vice President and Head of North America said she looked forward to working with those partners and developing new possibilities.
“We will be working in close collaboration with our Irish and American tourism partners as we roll out an ambitious marketing program of high impact campaigns and promotions, targeting those consumers with greatest potential to travel to the island of Ireland, in the shoulder season and travel to the regions and Northern Ireland to deliver sustainable growth.
“It has never been easier to get to Ireland and we look forward to strengthening strategic partnerships with our airline partners to support the growth in access that will see non-stop direct flights from 18 US gateways in 2024. New gateways this year include Denver and Minneapolis”.
Ms Metcalfe also pointed out that 2024 and beyond would be an important year for golf tourism: “We host the Amgen Irish Open at Royal County Down, and prepare for The Open at Royal Portrush in 2025, and the Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in 2027”