Longford County Council visits Tourism Ireland in New York

Representatives of Longford County Council, who are in New York this week for the St Patrick’s Day period, met with senior executives from Tourism Ireland today (Monday, 11 March). They were briefed on Tourism Ireland’s promotional programme in the United States for 2024, which is in full swing right now.

St Patrick’s Day offers a unique opportunity for Ireland and Irish tourism and Tourism Ireland in the United States is rolling out an extensive programme of trade, media and consumer activity to capitalise on Ireland’s heightened profile this week. The St Patrick’s Day Festival in Dublin is the hero attraction and Tourism Ireland will have renowned US travel broadcaster Gabe Saglie on the ground with us in Dublin, livestreaming from the parade to 40 TV stations across the United States, reaching audiences of up to 50 million across CBS, FOX, ABC and NBC networks. Chefs Darina Allen, Catherine Fulvio and Noel McMeel will highlight our superb food scene with media in New York, Washington DC and Los Angeles.

Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland’s Head of North America, 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. The US remains an extremely important market for tourism to the island of Ireland – it’s our most important market in terms of revenue and our second-largest market in terms of visitor numbers. Visitors from the United States tend to stay longer, spend more and tour extensively around our regions.

“Our St Patrick’s Day programme includes a major programme of trade, media and consumer activity. 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.”

This year, Tourism Ireland is rolling out an extensive programme of promotions in the United States, to increase the value of overseas tourism to the island of Ireland, supporting economies, communities and the environment, by inspiring potential US visitors about all that Ireland has to offer and by strengthening strategic partnerships.

Barbara Heslin, Longford County Council; Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland; Cllr Colm Murray, Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council; and Paul McDonagh, Tourism Ireland, in the Tourism Ireland office in New York.