National Stud takes part in tourism drive in Canada

ABOVE: David Wardell, Irish National Stud and Gardens; liaising with Canadian travel professionals at the Calgary workshop, during the Canadian sales blitz.

Tourism Ireland’s 2019 sales blitz to Canada took place recently. A delegation of 14 Irish tourism enterprises – including the Irish National Stud and Gardens – took part in the targeted mission to Vancouver, Calgary, Hamilton and Toronto – to grow our share of this important tourism market.

The sales mission involved the Irish National Stud and Gardens and other companies from Ireland meeting, and doing business with, leading tour operators and travel agents in each city. Key messages included ease of access from Canada to Ireland, with more airline seats this summer than ever before, as well as the huge range of things to see and do here for Canadian holidaymakers.

Travel agents and tour operators continue to be an important booking channel for Canadian holidaymakers – so a key element of Tourism Ireland’s activity involves working closely with the travel trade, both online and offline.

2017 was the best year ever for Irish tourism from Canada – with CSO figures indicating growth of +8.2% over 2017. Tourism Ireland is determined to ensure that success continues.

Dana Welch, Tourism Ireland’s Manager Canada, said: “Our sales blitz to Vancouver, Calgary, Hamilton and Toronto provided an excellent platform to kick-start our promotional effort for 2019 and to spread the word about the many great things to see and do right around Kildare and Ireland. It’s a really good platform for our tourism partners from Ireland to inform and influence the travel professionals they meet about what Ireland has to offer and, importantly, to encourage them to include the destination in their future brochures and programmes.”