Australians love the island of Ireland, so Tourism Ireland’s 2024 “Secrets of Ireland” roadshow and sales mission to Australia and New Zealand had plenty to discuss when it arrived in Sydney on Wednesday, with lunch and a media briefing at the Bangarra Dance Theatre function space.
The Irish sales mission has already hit Brisbane, with Melbourne and Auckland to come.
Industry participants from Ireland are:
| AC Group | Dermot O’Neill |
| Activities Ireland | Nessa McCall |
| Griffin Group | Fiona Delahunty |
| Irish National Stud and Gardens | Amanda Kelly |
| O’Donoghue Ring Collection | Niamh O’Neill |
| Railtours Ireland | Carina Mainhas |
| Irish Rugby Tours | George Hook |
| County Kildare Fáilte | Áine Mangan |
| Titanic Belfast | Tiernan McGee |
| Adams & Butler | Jonathon Byrne |
| Shenanigans Walks Kilkenny | Nevin Cody |
The sales mission includes a B2B event in each city, featuring interactive presentations to showcase Ireland.
Tourism Ireland’s Alison Metcalfe said Aussie travellers spent AUD $340 million in Ireland last year, making it the country’s seventh most crucial source market by revenue.
Visitors from Australia and New Zealand are highly prized as they tend to stay longer, spend more and visit more regions than the average tourist. They travel around the island of Ireland, and many visit during shoulder season.
Last year, they contributed 2.1 million bed nights and stayed longer than any other market.
Written by Peter Needham
