Some 15 top global inbound tour operators are exploring Ireland this week, as guests of Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland.
They are here to take part in a B2B workshop in Kilkenny – connecting with around 36 tourism companies from across Ireland, to negotiate for their programmes for 2025 and beyond.
The tour operators, who’re mainly based in London and deliver business from all over the world, including from the United States, Mainland Europe, Asia, Australasia and Africa, are also taking part in a fact-finding visit, to experience for themselves the high standard and variety of Ireland’s tourism offering.
Their action-packed itinerary includes scone making and sheep herding at Ballyknocken Cookery School, House & Farm, as well as Beyond the Trees Avondale, Smithwick’s Experience Kilkenny and a walking tour of Kilkenny city with Shenanigans Walks. In Kildare, the group visited the Irish National Stud & Gardens, Newbridge Silverware and Kildare Village.
Global inbound tour operators based in GB are important partners for Tourism Ireland, typically bringing around 500,000 visitors to the island of Ireland from around the world each year.
Aisling McDermott, Tourism Ireland’s Head of Global Partnerships, said: “Tourism Ireland is delighted to welcome these leading global inbound tour operators to Ireland’s Ancient East, to see and experience some of our many visitor attractions. Our aim is to inspire them to extend the Ireland content of their existing programmes and itineraries, or to include Ireland for the first time in their programmes.”
