Atouchof Listokeginfor Canadians

A group of top Canadian tour operators and travel agents – all specialists in group tours and responsible for making the travel arrangements for a diverse range of large groups – have been visiting Louth and Ireland recently. They were here as guests of Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland.

The Canadians attended a ‘Canadian Expo’ B2B workshop in Cavan – organised by Fáilte Ireland – where they met with Irish tourism enterprises to negotiate for their 2018 programmes. They also undertook an action-packed fact-finding visit to Louth.

Their itinerary included a visit to Carlingford Design House and a gin demonstration at Listoke Distillery & Gin School in Drogheda, with Co-Founder Bronagh Conlon. They also enjoyed lunch in PJ O’Hare’s in Carlingford.

Dana Welch, Tourism Ireland’s Manager in Canada, said: “Tourism Ireland was delighted to invite these top Canadian tour operators and travel agents to visit Louth and Ireland, to see and experience some of our many great attractions and to encourage them to include Ireland in their programmes for 2018.”

2017 looks set to be another good year for Irish tourism from Canada and the United States, with the latest CSO figures showing over 1.6 million visitors to Ireland from North America during the January to September period this year – an increase of +18.6% when compared to the same nine-month period in 2016. Tourism Ireland is rolling out an extensive programme of promotions in Canada this autumn – which includes co-operative promotions with key airline and tour operator partners, email marketing and social media promotions, as well as online advertising on popular websites. And, Tourism Ireland’s publicity programme in Canada this year will generate positive coverage for the island of Ireland worth more than €7.5 million.