Landmark travel trade fair, ITB Berlin, is taking place this week, with Tourism Ireland hosting local island of Ireland businesses to meet with international tour operators.
ITB (Internationale Tourismus-Börse) is a B2B event which attracted around 91,000 trade visitors in 2023 – including leading tour operators, travel agents, airlines, travel media and influencers from Germany and from all over the world.
Tourism Ireland is hosting 21 tourism companies from the island of Ireland on its stand – from premium hotels, whiskey distilleries and outdoor adventure providers to hidden gems of heritage. Over the coming days, around 600 commercial meetings will be conducted on the Ireland stand, which will, in turn, deliver overseas tourism business for Ireland worth millions of euro in 2024 and beyond.
Tourism Ireland is connecting tourism providers from the island of Ireland who have more capacity to welcome visitors with tour operators from Germany and elsewhere who bring valuable tourists to the island.
Tourism Ireland will also take the opportunity to meet with 100 media during ITB, to pitch story ideas for the island of Ireland. In 2023, Tourism Ireland’s publicity programme in Germany generated 260 million opportunities to see through broadcast, print and digital media.
Speaking at ITB Berlin, Alice Mansergh, Chief Executive Designate of Tourism Ireland, said: “We are delighted to attend ITB Berlin this week with tourism businesses from the island of Ireland. Germany is one of the largest outbound travel markets in the world and it is the third-largest overseas market for tourism to the island of Ireland. We think we have plenty to offer German visitors and we’re excited to win more business at ITB Berlin, helping rebuild momentum in the post-Covid era. We know Germans are active when they holiday with us, with 92% visiting historical sites and 58% participating in outdoor activities. Together with our partners from Ireland, we will be showcasing ease of access and places to stay, as well as culture, history and sports. Relationships forged and deals set in motion at ITB Berlin can help to attract German visitors to the island of Ireland for the years ahead.”
With a focus on showcasing culture throughout the year, Tourism Ireland is also partnering with Culture Ireland and the Department of Foreign Affairs to leverage this year’s Zeitgeist Irland 24, a yearlong programme of Irish arts taking place in Germany in 2024.
