PIC SHOWS: Italian travel agents at Bantry House & Garden with Julie Shelswell-White, Bantry House & Garden (front, left); and Mary O’Connor, Tourism Ireland (front, second left).
One of Italy’s leading tour operators, Francorosso, and 15 of its top-producing travel agents, have been exploring Ireland – as guests of Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland.
The aim of the travel agents’ fact-finding visit is to familiarise them with Ireland and our superb tourism offering, so that when they return home, they will be better informed and more enthusiastic than ever about Ireland, when advising their clients about planning and booking their holidays here.
The group’s action-packed itinerary included the Irish National Stud & Gardens, Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, Bantry House & Garden, the Rock of Cashel, St Patrick’s Cathedral, as well as the Guinness Storehouse and MoLI – Museum of Literature Ireland.
Marcella Ercolini, Tourism Ireland’s Manager Italy, said: “There really is no substitute for being able to come here and experience what Ireland has to offer at first-hand, so we were delighted to invite this group of Italian travel agents to visit. Our aim is that when they return home, the travel agents will be even more enthusiastic about the destination, helping to secure a greater share of their business for Ireland in 2024 and beyond.
“Italy is an important market for tourism to Ireland and fact-finding visits like this are a key element of the work that Tourism Ireland undertakes with the important travel trade in Italy.”