Tag Archives: Fáilte Ireland

Over 40 British leading meetings and events professionals enjoyed a flavour of the Mid-West, at the annual ‘Ireland Meets the West End’ gathering in London this week. The B2B event saw the buyers meet, and do business with, some 33 tourism businesses from Ireland, including the Shannon Region Conference & Sports Bureau. ‘Ireland Meets the West End’ is organised by Tourism Ireland in conjunction with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland, to grow business tourism from Britain to the island of Ireland. It proved to be a valuable opportunity for the Irish companies to showcase and sell their product for 2017 and to communicate what is unique about Ireland as a world-class destination for doing business. David Boyce, Tourism Ireland’s deputy head of Great Britain, said, “Business tourism is an important, high yield sector and Tourism Ireland has undertaken a busy programme of activity throughout 2016, to grow this type of tourism. Our promotions have been highlighting our world-class venues …

The Wild Atlantic Way, developed by Fáilte Ireland, has been awarded a commendation at the prestigious Landscape Institute’s Awards 2016. Competing with 43 projects from both the UK and around the world, the Wild Atlantic Way received the “Highly Commended” Award for the Adding Value Through Landscape category for its branding and Interpretation scheme, at a ceremony in London today (Thursday). The rationale behind the branding and interpretation scheme is to engage the visitor along the coastal touring route, provide a memento of their visit to each Discovery Point (where they can capture photos and digital content at Photo Points) and through interpretation panels introduce visitors to the local stories and customs of the area to encourage increased dwell time in these often remote coastal locations and encourage spend in the local community. The Landscape Institute’s Awards are presented to landscape professionals in recognition of their outstanding work, and to encourage excellence. Every year, the Institute acknowledges those working on …

Virtual reality (VR) experiences along the Wild Atlantic Way can now be accessed publicly via apps or on desktops. Launched by Fáilte Ireland,  the tourism promoter also unveiled is a new 360° views of the Wild Atlantic Way, which will add another level of immersion when visitors research the destination. Already the first of the 360° videos promoted publicly, Surfing at the Cliffs of Moher, has generated 150,000 views amongst potential visitors. Fáilte Ireland recently piloted VR as a potential sales tool at ITB Berlin, one of the world’s largest tourism trade fairs with 10,000 exhibitors from 187 countries and territories and with approximately 100,000 international trade visitors and members of the public in attendance. Following on from the successful demonstration to the international trade, Failte Ireland are now giving everyone the chance to view the experiences for themselves. A number of exciting activities (surfing under the Cliffs of Moher; sea stack climbing; beach horse riding; and cycling along the …

One of the biggest tour operators in the Netherlands, de Jong Intra Vakanties, together with 16 of its top-producing travel agents, were in Ireland this week as guests of Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland. The aim of the travel agents’ fact-finding visit is to allow them experience some of the country’s superb tourism offering, so that when they return home they will be even more enthusiastic, and better equipped, to advise their clients about travelling here. In Clare, the group enjoyed visits to the Burren Centre in Kilfenora, the Ailwee Caves and the Cliffs of Moher. Karen van der Horst, Tourism Ireland’s manager the Netherlands, said, “Fact-finding visits like this are an important element of our work with the travel trade in the Netherlands, as the travel agents get to experience at first-hand what’s on offer here for Dutch holidaymakers. “2016 looks set to be another good year for tourism from the Netherlands, with the latest CSO figures showing visitor numbers from …

Clare tourism businesses were in Dublin this week to attend the high-profile Meitheal, Fáilte Ireland’s largest trade fair. Organised by Fáilte Ireland, in conjunction with its sister agency Tourism Ireland this year’s event brought over 310 overseas buyers into the country to meet with 455 Irish tourism businesses. Last year’s Meitheal event resulted in over 2,650 new business contracts being signed, including almost 900 contracts with international operators who had never programmed Ireland before. At this year’s event, there were up to 40 tour operators in attendance who have not previously had Ireland on their books – predominantly from China, India, the Gulf States and South Africa. Speaking at Meitheal, Fáilte Ireland’s CEO, Shaun Quinn, said, “By bringing both overseas and Irish operators together eyeball to eyeball, we managed to generate deals and contracts which will ensure significant additional tourism activity next year – including in County Clare”. “Whether at the trade fair, or through our tailored trips around the country, for the overseas attendees, Ireland certainly impressed our overseas guests and …

THE Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark has won a major international award, recognising it as a global leader in sustainable destination development. On Wednesday, the Geopark was revealed as the winner of the Destination Leadership award by National Geographic at their prestigious World Legacy Awards. The Geopark, which is managed by Clare County Council and receives support and funding from the Geological Survey of Ireland and Fáilte Ireland, won the Destination Leadership category for its tourism for conservation project, GeoparkLIFE. The Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark was the only European winner at the awards, which honours tourism companies, organisations and destinations regarded as leaders in sustainable tourism best practices. Speaking at the ITB Berlin Convention in Germany, at which the announcement was made, Mary Howard, leas-cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, said the award “is testament to the partnership approach to managing sustainable tourism in the Burren that has been developed over the years by Clare County Council, regional …

Representatives from the world of online travel arrived in Dublin today (Wednesday) to meet with over 50 Irish tourism businesses. Among those at Evolve Ireland in Croke Park are Shannon Heritage and Trump International Golf Links & Hotel Doonbeg. This is a Fáilte Ireland event tailored to improve online marketing. The operators at the event include representatives from big players in the market such as Booking.com, Expedia and Lastminute.com. The European online tourism market continues to grow year on year and is expected to be worth over €126bn this year. Research has highlighted that Ireland lags behind other markets in terms of fully exploiting digital sales strategies and indicated that knowledge of online platforms needed to improve.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe, has allocated €100,000 for the hosting of Fleadh Cheoil na h-Eireann in Ennis this August. The allocation is part of Fáilte Ireland‘s national funding of just over €1.8 million for 23 key national festivals and events. Welcoming the news, Chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Pat Breen said the return of the Fleadh to Clare is a major boost.  During the 10-day event over 300,000 additional visitors are expected into the county as well as 4,000 competitors and 9,000 session musicians and it will generate €40 million in income for the local economy. “There was a 14% increase in overseas visits to Ireland for the first eleven months of 2015 and the most recent figures show that revenue in the sector has increased by 16% to €4.2 billion. A significant factor in this growth is the festivals and events on offer in all parts of the …