A group of 70 top international meeting planners, who bring international business worth over €210m annually to Ireland toured Co Clare and Limerick ahead of Connect16.
Key international operators in the country were brought on visits by Fáilte Ireland to highlight the best visitor assets through a number of pre-event familiarisation trips, in conjunction with Tourism Ireland under the Meet in Ireland brand. The visit comes just before the beginning of Connect16, the largest ever showcase for the meetings and events sector in Ireland.
With bespoke itineraries designed by Fáilte Ireland, a group of international meeting planners from North America experienced first-hand what Limerick and Clare can offer as a business destination. The group participated in site visits to the University of Limerick, the Strand Hotel, the Savoy Hotel and Dromoland Castle together with a visit to popular tourist attractions including the Milk Market and King John’s Castle in Limerick and Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, Clare.
Commenting on their visit, Head of Business Tourism with Fáilte Ireland, Miriam Kennedy said “We have pulled out all the stops to ensure that the visiting buyers have an unforgettable experience in Limerick and Clare, we are confident that this will translate into solid visitor numbers and increased revenue next year and into the future.”
In addition to bespoke tours for the visiting delegates, Fáilte Ireland will be ramping up their Conference Ambassador Programme at Connect16. The Conference Ambassador Programme is based on partnerships between Fáilte Ireland and Irish-based professionals with the ability to bring international conferences to Ireland. The use of expert champions in academic, medical, and scientific circles is a key component in the successful approach to growing Ireland’s share of the international association meetings sector and winning big events.
