ALICE’S WONDERLAND

My background is in marketing – I spent over 19 years in leadership roles at Google around the world. I couldn’t think of anything I’d like to market more than Ireland because I am a complete staycation nerd. There’s a greater link between the tech industry and tourism than people might think. Researching and booking travel is one of the most digital processes there is. And I spent two terms on the board of Fáilte Ireland, which was my introduction to how tourism works in a semi-state context and how we support the industry. So this is the dream job.

We’re hoping to grow tourism to the island of Ireland by a +5.6% year-on-year average out to 2030 and kick that off this year. There are risks and challenges to navigate but we have an award-winning product, a huge opportunity and strong access, so we’re ambitious to support the industry and strong growth. Our area of responsibility is marketing Ireland overseas. We’re looking to inspire and delight visitors and strengthen our partnerships within the industry. It’s not just about ‘brand Ireland’ overall anymore; it’s also about stimulating demand for the regions and seasons where we have scope for growth. Hotel occupancy is 88% during the summer months, but only 73% from October to May. So, it’s about inspiring visitors to come in spring and autumn, with compelling reasons to visit at those times, and in the regions, where there’s capacity to grow.

Halloween is such a huge opportunity. More Americans celebrate Halloween than St. Patrick’s Day – and we know how big St. Patrick’s Day is for this island, bringing in 100,000 overseas visitors. Halloween originated in Celtic culture here over 2,000 years ago, so telling that story is exciting. Tourism Northern Ireland and Fáilte Ireland have some lovely festivals, working with regional partners. In Northern Ireland, Halloween in Derry/ Londonderry is the biggest festival of its type across Europe. And Fáilte Ireland have been supporting festivals like Púca in Co. Meath and the Bram Stoker Festival in Dublin. When we look at the motivators for people to come here, the three things that come up time and time again are that people want to experience the scenery, the heritage and then our people and the warmth of our culture. When you look at months like April and May, when all the greenery is just coming out, it’s a wonderful time to get out and explore the great outdoors. So, there’s lots of potential.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Wild Atlantic Way, and Belfast 24 will be a collaboration with local communities, innovators and creative folks to showcase what the city is today. With the Wild Atlantic Way, it feels strange to say it’s the 10th anniversary because the scenery and culture is so timeless, but it’s worth marking that moment ten years ago, when Fáilte Ireland came up with the brand, and it’s an opportunity to retell that story of what’s on offer on one of the world’s longest coastal routes, and certainly one of the most beautiful.

My experience and passions are brought together in this role

Key areas of focus

2024 is a big year

Tourism trends drawing visitors

Screen tourism works really hard for us. We still find lots of interest in

routes. The presence of Irish actors, producers and other talent at the Oscars this year and in 2023 … it all helps boost our profile as a culturally rich nation. There’s also great interest in wellbeing holidays. People want to return home feeling refreshed and culturally enriched. Emphasising how to really experience the culture and get out in

nature is exciting, particularly given all the Greenways and Blueways that are opening up to help people engage in those slower forms of tourism. We see growing interest in getting around without a car so we’ll be doing more to promote car-free itineraries, showing people how they can travel in more sustainable ways using rail or other routes. It’s top of our mind that 80% of people research what they’re going to see and do online before they choose where they’re going. People are doing their homework before booking flights, so we want to do a great job of championing all those wonderful experiences when someone’s in the research phase. An emerging trend is the role of video, so platforms like TikTok and YouTube are increasingly being used by consumers to research what there is to see or do. So those trends will be on our minds as we consider how to serve inspiring information to the right people at the right time.

The cost-of-living crisis is playing on people’s minds, particularly in Great Britain and the EU, where only 40% of consumers are planning to travel more this year. It’s a more positive picture when we look at those in the U.S. who tend to travel overseas, with 60% of them planning to travel more. The good news is that consumers are prioritising travel, but if they’re taking fewer trips or being very careful about where they go, it’s important that the island of Ireland is high on their wish list. Businesses are facing escalating costs and needing to make decisions between margin health and competitiveness on the global stage. Finally, about 20% of guest accommodation is out of use by tourism. We’ll be focusing on visitors with value added tourism traits, there are those who have the funds to travel and prize experiences over low cost, and those more likely to want to travel around the regions and off season. Those are times we can market effectively to ensure the value tourism brings to small businesses and the economy is more evenly spread through the year.

Fáilte Ireland’s domestic campaign features a lovely phrase: Keep discovering. One of the lovely things about being human is being constantly curious and inquisitive, and what could be more inspiring than discovering more about your resident country, your home culture or different aspects of history? Whether it’s a staycation or a ‘daycation’ – where you don’t want to stay long-term – think about all the things you could see in a day. Stay curious and get out there. Personally, I’ll be spending time on the north Wild Atlantic Way, the Causeway Coast, Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands and Ireland’s Ancient East. I’m heading to Waterford – cycling the Greenway is on my list, and I’ll be doing the Waterford Walls Street Art tour. I’m also going to Kilkenny to explore all the medieval streets. I think I’m probably fairly typical when it comes to what visitors are looking for. I love the scenery here. I enjoy getting out for a walk or gentle hike. I’ll go kayaking and try other activities but with a guide. And I love the history and built heritage. I was in the Ulster Folk Museum in Cultra, and it’s so inspiring looking at the architecture and tools and materials people used in years gone by. And the warmth of a lovely restaurant or pub, and the local people is always a plus. People often think about the island of Ireland as

Continuing challenges

The magic of a staycation

being a relatively petite landmass compared to others, but what blows my mind is, I’ve holidayed here every year of my life for over four decades, and there’s still so much I haven’t seen and done. I love a boat trip to an island, whether inland on the rivers or off the coast, and there are a few islands I still want to get out to.