Leitrim County Council visits Tourism Ireland in New York

Representatives of Leitrim County Council, who are in New York this week for the St Patrick’s Day period, met with senior executives from Tourism Ireland yesterday, Tuesday 12. 

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. Tourism Ireland in the United States is rolling out an extensive trade, media, and consumer activity programme 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, live streaming 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 the 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 Leitrim 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, support economies, communities, and the environment, inspire potential US visitors about all that Ireland has to offer and strengthen strategic partnerships.