The USA Summer Soirée 2025 was held once again in the 5-star Marriott Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin. Always a highlight in the summer social calendar, the wine reception preceded dinner and speeches.
After Michael Collins (Travel Media) welcomed a room full of guests, Clare Dunne (CEO of the Irish Travel Agents Association) was invited on stage. She stated, “This is an opportunity for us to do business to make those connections that are so important to all of us and to our businesses, our shared history and the enduring ties mean that the United States has always held a special place in the hearts of Irish travellers.”
ITAA Members – Trend for Travel to the USA
Highlighting the USA as an ever-popular destination amongst the Irish, she shared that “This interest still prevails so far in 2025. Our [ITAA] members are telling us right across Ireland about their booking levels that are on par with 2024 which was a strong and healthy year for travel to the US.”
She added, speaking about ITAA members, “They tell us that the vast majority of their customers are travelling to the U.S without any issues. And that’s also important to our mutual customers.”
The long-established routes to major US gateways are continuing to attract year-round visitors, while the new direct routes such as Las Vegas, Nashville, Indianapolis and Detroit are opening up new opportunities for the Irish to explore more of the United States.
Clare explained, “With increased connectivity and growing demand for unique, off-the-beaten-path experiences, there’s an opportunity to also broaden the conversation and to inspire our clients to go beyond the guidebooks and find their own unique American story.”
Direct Routes, Airlines & Competition
She highlighted the benefit Irish travellers have of a multitude of direct U.S transatlantic Services with airlines – Aer Lingus, American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, United Airlines and that the competition between them serves to keep fares attractive, which benefits travel agents and customers. Equally, the benefit of pre-clearance from Dublin or Shannon means passengers clear US Immigration & Customs in Ireland. She commented that if “there is a rare issue, it’s dealt with here in Ireland, and that gives great peace of mind and security to our clients. The pre-clerance system is something we’re incredibly proud of, and our customers really appreciate this facility and the stress that it saves.”
She advocated for ITAA members, emphasising that they “are trusted, experienced and proudly independent… they spend days researching the best flight options, accommodations and experiences… drawing on their long-standing, reliable and trusted industry networks, that are formed that events like this to tailor-make the perfect itinerary for their clients.”
And added, “Our travel agents play a vital advisory role, keeping travellers informed about the latest regulations, entry requirements & potential disruptions. They also ensure clients are aware of local laws, customs and help to promote safe, respectful and well-prepared travel.”
ITAA Recommends DFA for Reliable & Up-to-date Source of Travel Advice
Clare highlighted how the ITAA was really proud of their long-standing relationship with the Department of Foreign Affairs and “we incourage agents to guide customers to ireland.ie/travel, which is a really reliable & up-to-date source of travel advice for destinations across the globe.”
ITAA Focus for 2025
She explained the key focus of the ITAA this year is deepening their collaboration with tourist boards, destination marketing organisations (DMOs) and diplomatic partners to broaden the range of travel experiences that ITAA travel agents are offering to their customers.
She highlighted the iconic cities like NYC, Boston, Philadelphia and San Francisco, which will always attract visitors. She commented that Irish travellers are increasingly looking for something different, outdoors, vibrant music trails, authentic Native American adventures and rich cultural moments that go beyond and promoted travel agents to expand their knowledge of the full range of US destinations to best serve the trend in customers served by travel agents – for more bespoke, tailor-made and unique trips.
She explained, “This event provides us with a perfect vehicle to do this. We can inspire more clients with the new ideas of itineraries they may never even have considered if they hadn’t talked to their travel agent… the United States is a vast and diverse country and there is so much more to discover, not just for the seasoned traveller but the first-time visitor who wants something unique… we’re a small country with a big wanderlust.”
Stay tuned to ITTN for more from Dublin Airport, Aer Lingus and US destinations at the USA Summer Soirée.
