News Release -
Huge surge of interest in Ireland as a result of US holiday promotion
A Shannon Development team led by Chairman, John Brassil, has just returned from a US tourism promotion at the Irish Fest in Milwaukee (14th to 17th August ’08), where Mr. Brassil reported a huge surge of interest in Ireland from US holidaymakers.
“The Shannon Development tourism team and I were delighted with the reaction from US people we talked to at this major Festival. Over the course of the four day event we talked to literally thousands of US people and handed out a range of tourist brochures promoting the Shannon Region as a must visit holiday destination. Over 125,000 US people attended the event, and we are pleased that we achieved our aim of showcasing the Shannon Region and highlighting the ease of access through Shannon International Airport,” said Mr. Brassil.
“The Festival is the world’s largest annually Irish cultural event and is attended by top US Tour Operators who bring US tourists to Ireland. All those I spoke to who participated in the event are confident that it will yield additional tourism business and visitor spend for Ireland. It’s just one of a number of initiatives that Shannon Development is undertaking in the US market this year. We recently signed agreements with a number of airlines and tourism operators to drive additional bed nights to the Shannon Region. One of these campaigns has already resulted in 20,000 additional bednights from the US this year,” said Mr. Brassil.
To make this happen, Shannon Development has negotiated partnership working arrangements with 15 Travel Operators in the US including 13 of the leading Tour Operators selling dedicated Ireland holiday programmes in the US market. Included among these are niche operators of golf holidays. The company’s marketing and promotional activity is targeted at US cities that have flights to Shannon Airport and key feeder hubs. As part of this initiative Shannon Development is working on packages with two airlines who service the US market – Aer Lingus and US Airways. The company has also promoted the region at a range of consumer holidays fairs in the US including the Boston Globe Holiday Show, and travel shows in Philadelphia, Washington and Toronto.
In addition to this Shannon Development’s tourism marketing team has recently undertaken sales calls to upscale travel agents in Toronto and Chicago. Shannon Development is fully exploiting digital communications with a series of e-blasts in the US, through top US tour operators, to entice holidaymakers to holiday in the Shannon Region.
Using the latest technology Shannon Development, in conjunction with Brendan World Wide Vacations Tourism in the US, recently undertook a briefing with over 500 travel agent staff by webcam. During the live online seminar, Shannon Development made a presentation on what there is to see and do in the Shannon Region and responded to an extensive range of follow-up enquiries from the travel agents.
“Shannon Development is also working with Tourism Ireland, in association and other tourism authorities along Ireland’s West Coast, on the ‘Discover Ireland’s Wonderful West’ campaign, a €3 million marketing campaign in the US designed to boost business to the Shannon Airport catchment area post-Open Skies. Among the initiatives already underway as part of this campaign are; US print, radio and online advertising with carriers, tour operators and industry partners, direct marketing on and offline and special promotions.
As a result of all of these initiatives a variety of US visitors from group tours to individual holidaymakers will visit Limerick, and avail of the wonderful and varied accommodation base, use local car hire services, visit local attractions and take part in a range of local activities,” Mr. Brassil concluded.
John Brassil, Chairman, Shannon Development, pictured in the US at the recent Milwaukee Irish Fest (14th -17th August '08) promoting the Shannon Region as a tourist destination and Shannon Airport as a convenient access point to the area for visitors.
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