Tourism Minister In US To Launch Tourism Initiative

Tourism Ireland and the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport have begun a trade mission to the United States, where they will attend a number of tourism promotion events.

Tourism Minister Paschal Donohoe and Tourism Ireland CEO Niall Gibbons, will be in Nashville and New York to launch the state's latest tourism initiative, Ireland's Ancient East, to top travel agents, tour operators and travel media, as well as members of the Irish Diaspora, in both cities. 

In Nashville, Minister Donohoe will also announce Tourism Ireland's sponsorship of the second annual Music City Irish Festival, which will take place in Nashville in March 2016. The sponsorship is designed to encourage thousands of festival-goers to come visit Ireland next year. 

The Minister will conduct a series of media interviews while in the US, highlighting exciting developments like the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland's Ancient East and the fact that improved air access means that it has never been easier for American visitors to get to Ireland. 

2014 was a record year for Irish tourism from North America, with more than 1.3 million visits. These visitors were worth more than $1 billion to our economy with a significant impact on job creation throughout the country. Judging by the most recent statistics from the Central Statistics Office, this year looks set to be another record year, with the most recent figures showing growth of 15% in the number of American visitors to Ireland from January to July, compared to the same period of 2014. 

(MH/LM)