The InterContinental Dublin is the first 5-star hotel in Ireland to complete Fáilte Ireland’s Get China Ready programme. The programme is aimed at educating Irish tourism businesses about the opportunities available from the Chinese tourist market and is part of Fáilte Ireland’s work to assist tourism businesses with market diversification and reduce the risks currently posed by Brexit. The programme is an initiative of Fáilte Ireland in co-operation with Tourism Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland.
Above are Madam Wang, First Secretary, Head of Culture and Tourism, Chinese Embassy in Ireland; Paul Keeley, Fáilte Ireland; and Agnes Arendarczyk, InterContinental Dublin.
Presenting the Certificate, Paul Keeley, Director of Commercial Development, Fáilte Ireland, said that Irish tourism businesses are beginning to see an increase in the number of Chinese visitors since direct flights from China started in June 2018. He emphasised: “China is one of the fastest-growing outbound travel markets in the world with numbers predicted to grow to 200 million by 2020. Last year, an estimated 70,000 Chinese visitors travelled to Ireland but with the advent of the new direct flights from Beijing and Hong Kong that number is expected to substantially increase. The aim of the ‘China Ready Programme’ is to ensure that the Chinese visitor is warmly welcomed to Ireland and that tourism businesses are prepared and culturally aware of the requirements of our Chinese visitors.”
Ciara Hanley, Director of Sales and Marketing, InterContinental Hotel Dublin said: “I am delighted that the hotel is now the first 5-star hotel in Ireland on the Fáilte Ireland China Ready Programme. We are looking forward to the coming months and welcoming a new market to Ireland.”
