Australia efforts deliver growth for Ireland
After several years of focusing on online, Tourism Ireland has renewed its emphasis on the trade with the strengthened relationship combined with a range of new initiatives delivering record growth.
This year’s The Gathering event, originally designed to appeal to the Irish diaspora that has made its home Down Under, actually resonated with a broader cross-section of people with an interest in Ireland, Australia and New Zealand manager Diane Butler told Travel Today.
The year-long program of events has contributed to growth of almost 20% in the number of Australians and New Zealanders visiting the destination in the first eight months of the year – the highest growth ever recorded from this market – with average expenditure up 33%.
Butler is confident of finishing the year with a 15% increase in Australian visitor numbers.
“That would be 180,000 people from this marketplace which is very, very good,” she said.
Renewed relationships with the trade are also considered to have been a major driver of this year’s success.
“For a few years, I think the focus was really more online, it moved away from the trade a little bit when it should have really embraced and continued to look at the trade,” she said. “But this year, we’ve really tried to get the trade on board and it really has helped.”
Meanwhile, although Tourism Ireland is wary of the “Olympic effect” in The Gathering’s wake, a number of other new initiatives have been devised to keep interest in the destination alive. This month, Tourism Ireland launched 2400km self-drive route the Wild Atlantic Way and restarted the golf days that had tapered off during the global financial crisis.
“We’re now reigniting those ties and traditions,” Butler revealed. “Because the value of Ireland is so good at the moment, that sort of golfing holiday has become very affordable.”
Tourism Ireland is also undertaking a campaign with STA Travel in order to stoke interest from the youth market which dwindled while it was difficult for backpackers to find work in the destination.
This year's strong performance has shone a light on the tourism body’s local office with additional resources set to follow next year, along with a consumer research piece and an expanded team. For the trade, the next year will see a ramped up famil program and a revamped agent training scheme along with more partnerships.
“2013 has been great but we’re on the crest of a wave now, and I hope we’ll be riding on that for another year at least with all the things that are happening in the trade,” Butler said.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
agents diane butler ireland tourism tourism irelandLatest News
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