Kerry companies get behind plan to bring more Americans to Ireland

TOURISM Ireland hopes for another record year of tourism from North America – and three Kerry-based companies will be among a delegation of 17 companies showcasing Ireland as part of the ‘Jump into Ireland’ sales blitz kicking off in the US this week.

Tourism Ireland hopes to bring in some 1.7 million visitors this year. As part of its strategy to achieve this, a delegation will promote Ireland in cities such as Washington DC, Atlanta, and Boca Raton in Florida through a 60-minute TV show format, along with networking sessions with travel and lifestyle journalists.

Parknasilla Resort and Spa, the Park Hotel in Kenmare, and Killarney-based Experience Ireland Golf & Travel will participate, ensuring strong Kerry representation on the delegation.

The planned sales blitz follows Norwegian Airlines’ announcement that it will provide flights to Ireland from New York and Providence, increasing the number of transatlantic airline seats by 10,000.

“Looking to the year ahead, we are confident that our strategy to bring tourism from North America – combined with more airline seats than ever before from the US, a strong dollar, as well as the strength and competitiveness of the vacation experience right around the island of Ireland – will deliver further growth,” said Tourism Ireland’s Head of North America.

According to Kerry County Council’s Tourism Strategy and Action Plan 2016-2022, some one in three American tourists to Ireland visit Kerry on their trip. North Americans are the most valuable visitors to Kerry, generating approximately 40 per cent of overseas income.

The delegation involved in the Tourism Ireland Sales Blitz, including Alice Thompson of Experience Ireland Golf & Travel; Francis Brennan, Park Hotel Kenmare; and Carmel Flynn, Parknasilla Resort & Spa.