Welcoming the recent announcement that Ireland topped the poll as the world’s “friendliest” country in a survey by Lonely Planet, Tourism Ireland states that findings of recent consumer research undertaken by the organisation also endorses this. The research was carried out as part of Tourism Ireland’s major review of the island of Ireland brand. To capitalise on this accolade, the largest contingent ever from the tourism industry on the island of Ireland is kicking off its 2008 marketing campaign overseas, at the World Travel Market (WTM) in London, this week.
World Travel Market (WTM) – now in its 28th year – is the largest trade event in the global tourism calendar year, and the international travel industry’s premier business-to-business forum, with an estimated attendance of 50,000 representatives of the industry, representing over 200 countries this year. According to the organisers, over £28 billion’s worth of business was transacted at the event last year.
Over 125 members of the tourism industry from the island of Ireland, representing 58 companies from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are based at the Tourism Ireland stand. The stand was visited by Noel Cornick, Head of Tourism Policy Division, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, who represented Tourism Minister Nigel Dodds, OBE MP MLA at the event.
Mr Cornick said: “In the recent draft Programme for Government, tourism was identified as a key area of potential growth in Northern Ireland. The Executive has set the ambitious goal of increasing the number of tourists visiting the region to 2.5 million and growing tourism revenue to £520 million each year by 2011. The presence of Tourism Ireland – including representatives from the Northern Ireland tourism industry – at World Travel Market therefore provides a valuable networking opportunity to meet with members of the national and international tourism industry and learn more about the latest worldwide developments. This year sees the largest ever industry representation on the Tourism Ireland stand which is very welcome and important if we are to continue to grow tourism in this highly competitive global marketplace”.
While official figures for 2007 are not yet available for Northern Ireland, sentiment from the industry is highly positive, with encouraging indicators in particular for holidaymaker growth.
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Elaine Moore/Clair Balmer, Tourism Ireland
Tel: 028 7035 9260/ 07766 527719
Sonya Cassidy/Stephen McGrath, Weber Shandwick
Tel: 028 9034 7300