PIC SHOWS: Spanish travel agents during their fact-finding visit to Ireland, with Cristina Espejo, Tourism Ireland (left).
A group of Spanish travel agents is visiting Ireland this week, as guests of Tourism Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and Icárion (a major Spanish tour operator). The aim of the trip is to showcase some of the many sustainable tourism experiences available in Ireland to Spanish travel professionals, as well as to highlight our rich culture and heritage, spectacular scenery and fantastic food and drink offerings.
During their time here, the travel agents will visit Dublin, Athlone, Offaly, Galway and Clare. Their action-packed itinerary includes places like Lough Boora Discovery Park, the Burren National Park, Cliffs of Moher and Airfield Estate. They will also enjoy a Dublin Coastal Craft Beer and Seafood Tour with Hidden Howth Experiences, as well as a Galway Food Tour. In Co Clare, the travel agents will meet the founder and CEO of Fifty Shades Greener, Raquel Noboa, who will chat with them about sustainability in Ireland.
Susan Bolger, Tourism Ireland’s Manager Spain, said: “We are delighted to welcome this group of Spanish travel agents to Ireland. This visit is an excellent opportunity to showcase some of our sustainable tourism experiences, as well as our superb visitor attractions, food and scenery. Our aim is that the travel agents will be more enthusiastic than ever about the destination when they return home – helping to secure a greater share of their business for Ireland in 2023 and beyond.
“Sustainability will be at the heart of Tourism Ireland’s work over the coming years. As well as focusing on the economic sustainability of the tourism industry (the contribution overseas tourism makes to economic prosperity and, in particular, to jobs and livelihoods), Tourism Ireland’s strategy also has social sustainability (the benefit that communities across the island experience from overseas tourism) and environmental sustainability at its core.”
Spain is the fifth-largest market for overseas tourism to the island of Ireland. In 2019, we welcomed 431,000 visitors from Spain to the island of Ireland, who spent €218 million during their time here.
