Longford County Council representatives who were in New York for the St Patrick's Day period met senior Tourism Ireland executives in New York last week, and were briefed on Tourism Ireland's promotional programme in the United States for 2022, which is now in full swing, according to a statement published on Tourism Ireland's website.
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Tourism Ireland is rolling out its biggest ever programme of promotions in the US this year to restart overseas tourism to Ireland, and the programme will allow Tourism Ireland to upweight its campaigns, punch through the noise and convert "lookers" to "bookers", in order to save businesses and create jobs, according to the statement published on Tourism Ireland's website, which also said that Tourism Ireland's message is that Ireland is open for business again and that it cannot wait to welcome back American visitors.
Statement By Tourism Ireland's Head Of North America
The statement published on Tourism Ireland's website also included a statement from Tourism Ireland's head of North America, Alison Metcalfe, in which she said, "We were delighted to meet with the representatives of Longford County Council and to have the opportunity to brief them about the extensive promotional programme we are undertaking in the United States this year. We are rolling out our Green Button campaign right now - urging American travellers to 'press the Green Button' and book their trip to Ireland this year. Our extensive programme of high impact campaigns and promotions is targeting those consumers with the greatest potential to travel to Ireland. Our message is very simple: Ireland is open for business again and we cannot wait to welcome back visitors from the United States.
"Our St Patrick's Day programme includes an extensive programme of trade, media and consumer activity to restart overseas tourism this year. Our aim is to remind American holidaymakers that Ireland offers the warmest of welcomes and great fun, as well as wonderful scenery and heritage. We are taking every opportunity to capitalise on Ireland's heightened profile around this St Patrick's Day period."
Tourism Event Takes Place In House Of Commons To Mark St Patrick's Day
The above news was followed by news that, kicking off a programme of St Patrick's Day promotional activity around the world, Tourism Ireland co-sponsored a special reception in the House of Commons in London last week. The event, celebrating British-Irish relations, was attended by members of the House of Commons and House of Lords, as well as by leaders of the Irish community living in London, travel trade, business tourism and media contacts.
The event in the House of Commons was part of Tourism Ireland's St Patrick’s 2022 programme of activity, which spanned Great Britain, mainland Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand, as well as emerging tourism markets like the Middle East.
This year, as restart overseas tourism to Ireland restarts, Tourism Ireland's St Patrick's Day programme around the world was arguably more important than ever before. Following a devastating two years for the tourism and travel sector, Tourism Ireland aimed to capitalise on the heightened exposure for Ireland around its national day. Tourism Ireland's message was that Ireland is open for business again and it cannot wait to welcome back it diaspora and international visitors.
Tourism Minister Gordon Lyons Promotes Northern Ireland In New York
All of the above news was followed by news that Tourism Minister Gordon Lyons promoted Northern Ireland to American travel industry professionals and journalists at a Tourism Ireland event in New York last week, according to a statement published on Tourism Ireland's website.
Minister Lyons was in the US last week as part of a visit organised by Invest NI, and, at the Tourism Ireland roundtable event, he met with senior representatives of airlines and tour operators, as well as influential travel journalists, according to the statement published on Tourism Ireland's website, which also said that his message was that Northern Ireland is a superb choice for a holiday in 2022, and that he highlighted the new Game of Thrones Studio Tour, Belfast's recent designation as a UNESCO City of Music, the upcoming 10th anniversary of Titanic Belfast, the new Belfast film directed by Sir Kenneth Branagh, and Northern Ireland's golf offering and the fact that The Open will return to Royal Portrush in 2025.
The statement published on Tourism Ireland's website included a statement from Tourism Minister Gordon Lyons MLA, in which he said, "There are so many good reasons to visit Northern Ireland. Its scenery is as beautiful as anywhere in the world, its people are friendly and welcoming, and it offers many unique visitor experiences which will live long in the memory. It is reassuring to see such strong interest in Northern Ireland as a destination from the travel industry in New York. I am here to encourage them to spread the word that Northern Ireland is the perfect holiday destination for 2022."
The statement published on Tourism Ireland's website also included a statement from Tourism Ireland chief executive Niall Gibbons, in which he said, "We are delighted that Minister Lyons joined our roundtable event in New York, reminding our key airline and travel trade contacts that Northern Ireland continues to offer a wonderful holiday experience and telling them about all the many great reasons to visit in 2022. As we restart tourism to Northern Ireland, he assured them that we look forward to working closely with them in the months and years ahead."
The statement published on Tourism Ireland's website added that Tourism Ireland's Green Button campaign is now under way in the United States, that the $8.5 million campaign is running in key gateway cities and priority areas (including New York, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Dallas), to reach and engage audiences with the highest potential to travel here this year, and that the TV and digital elements of the Green Button campaign will reach an estimated 92 million people across the United States and will deliver more than 600 million impressions (opportunities to see) this year.
© 2022 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
