PIC SHOWS: Tourism companies from Ireland at Tourism Ireland’s 2024 trade workshop in Brussels, with Karen van der Horst, Tourism Ireland (left).
Ireland was promoted to around 40 top tour operators and travel agents from Belgium and the Netherlands at Tourism Ireland’s 2024 trade workshop, which took place this week in Brussels and Amersfoort.
Twenty-three (23) tourism companies from Ireland took part in the workshops, meeting and doing business with Belgian and Dutch travel professionals, to inspire them to extend the Ireland content of their existing programmes and itineraries or to include Ireland for the first time in their 2025 programmes.
Around 450 commercial meetings took place during the two workshops. The workshops provided a valuable opportunity for Tourism Ireland and its partners to remind the Belgian and Dutch travel professionals all about the many great things to see and do in Ireland – including our spectacular scenery, great food and drink offerings, as well as our world-class visitor attractions and outdoor experiences.
Karen van der Horst, Tourism Ireland’s Manager for Northern Europe, said: “We’re delighted that 40 key Belgian and Dutch travel professionals have taken the time to come and meet with our partners from Ireland in Brussels and Amersfoort this week, to find out more about our superb tourism offering.
“Our annual B2B workshops provide a really valuable opportunity for our partners from Ireland to showcase their product. The operators are signing contracts now for 2025 and beyond, so this is a key time to influence the addition of new tourism products to their programmes. Our aim is to connect our partners with the influential Belgian and Dutch travel professionals who bring valuable tourists to Ireland.”