Tourism Ireland Targeting 5.6% Annual Visitor Revenue Growth up to 2030

Tourism Ireland is looking to increase inbound tourism revenue, from overseas visitors, by an average of 5.6%, year-on-year to 2030.

The agency is also targeting growing tourism revenue to regional areas outside of the peak season by an average of 6.5% per year up to 2030.

In all, Tourism Ireland will roll out an extensive and targeted programme of activity with a marketing budget of €70m this year.

In launching its 2024 marketing plan, Tourism Ireland said it believes that 2024 offers “significant opportunity” for overseas tourism.

“Ireland has an award-winning tourism product, a committed industry and there are excellent relationships in place with the international travel trade. There are opportunities to grow revenue, especially outside of the peak season when there is capacity ready to be filled. And there are lots of exciting and inspiring stories to tell potential overseas visitors – particularly about off-season events such as Halloween, which originated on the island of Ireland around 2,000 years ago,” Tourism Ireland said.

It added: “Tourism Ireland will play a vital role in 2024 to meet these opportunities. Using data-driven marketing, the organisation will remain nimble, serving the right message to the right audience at the right time – thus stimulating demand from high value overseas tourists and matching demand to supply. Tourism Ireland will focus on tourists with ‘value adding tourism traits’ i.e., those people who have funds to travel, who prize memorable experiences and tend to travel around regions and across seasons.” 

Alice Mansergh, Chief Executive Designate of Tourism Ireland, said: “2023 was the first full year of trading for tourism since the pandemic. Tourism Ireland was active throughout the year, with an extensive and targeted programme of activity marketing the island of Ireland around the world.

“In 2024, our aim is to increase the value of overseas tourism to the island of Ireland, sustainably supporting economies, communities and the environment. We will do so by inspiring overseas visitors and strengthening strategic partnerships. Our message is that the island of Ireland has so much to offer across regions and seasons. We will be showcasing iconic reasons to travel here, expanding people’s bucket lists from best-known spots to our hidden gems. It’s an exciting year ahead, as this year marks the 10^th anniversary of the Wild Atlantic Way, providing Tourism Ireland with another great hook to showcase the iconic route.

“Whilst there is positive trading post-Covid, we know the recovery in our industry is not evenly spread and tourism continues to face headwinds. Tourism Ireland will remain flexible and agile to face the changing environment of the future. We will work to mitigate any challenges as we shape demand to fill available capacity right across the island and throughout the year. Through enhanced consumer targeting and messaging, we will win the hearts and minds of potential overseas visitors and grow the value of overseas tourism.

“Our strong partnership with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism NI is foundational, pairing product development with our overseas marketing and collaborating on key projects and activities like the 10^th anniversary of the Wild Atlantic Way, Home of Halloween, Business Events and sustainability certification.”

Tourism Minister Catherine Martin said: “The Government remains fully committed to this vitally important industry and to strengthening tourism as a fundamental part of our economy for the long-term. Budget 2024 has maintained additional funding of €10 million for overseas marketing of Ireland as a leading holiday destination.

“Tourism Ireland’s work overseas supports, and is supported by, other areas within the remit of my Department. For example, the portrayal of culture and sport in Tourism Ireland marketing communications overseas can play an important role in helping potential visitors to envisage and appreciate some of the unique aspects of a holiday on the island of Ireland and recognise the island as a top location for sporting events.

“My Department is progressing the development of a new national tourism policy framework that will mainstream sustainability – environmental, economic and societal – across the entire tourism sector. The framework will shape how our tourism industry develops in to the future. In this regard, while I want to see the sector grow, I want it to do so in a manner that is consistent with our broader sustainability targets and ensures that Ireland will be a brand leader in sustainable tourism.

“I am delighted that sustainability underpins Tourism Ireland’s strategy in keeping with the objectives of our new Tourism Policy direction.”

Tourism Ireland’s activity to inspire overseas holidaymakers to visit Ireland in 2024 will include:

• Tourism Ireland’s ‘Fill your heart with Ireland’ campaign will be expanded and will focus on passion points (e.g., built heritage, soft adventure, views and landscapes) and on enhanced Wild Atlantic Way content in support of its 10^th anniversary. The campaign will run on TV, video-on-demand, social media, outdoor and in print media and will be reflected across Tourism Ireland’s international website, Ireland.com.
• Publicity activity will continue to focus on regional and seasonal messaging and on delivering ‘opportunities to see’ in top international media outlets.
• Tourism Ireland’s International Programming Fund will continue to invest in long-form content that promotes the island of Ireland.
• A greater focus on driving potential visitors towards Ireland.com will lead to an increased number of consumers utilising the site for research. The website’s ability to cross-sell different aspects of a visit, particularly hidden gems, will be enhanced.
• Tourism Ireland will encourage regional spread and build seasonal landmark moments. Activity will include a promotion around St Brigid’s Day, a St Patrick’s Day campaign and a significant investment in the organisation’s Home of Halloween campaign.
• Tourism Ireland will continue to connect industry across the island of Ireland with overseas travel trade and consumers – via overseas sales platforms, co-operative campaigns and Business Events promotion.
• Media and travel trade familiarisation visits will focus on our regions and seasonal messaging.
• 2024 will be an important year for golf, as we prepare for The Open at Royal Portrush in 2025 and the Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in 2027.
• Tourism Ireland will help put Irish tourism businesses on the global stage – facilitating 25,000 meetings, including 6,000 Business Events meetings and 4,000 golf and luxury tourism meetings, for 750 industry partners from the island of Ireland.
• In 2024, Tourism Ireland will take over the management and operation of the three major international MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) events: IMEX Frankfurt, IMEX Las Vegas and IBTM in Barcelona.
• Tourism Ireland will work with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism NI on the roll-out of an umbrella certification scheme to promote sustainable travel. Tourism Ireland will play an important role in the development of the international consumer messaging and branding of the scheme.