This week more than 1500 one-to-one sales appointments have been scheduled between 155 Irish leisure and UltraLuxe tourism suppliers, including ten businesses from Clare, with Irish-based tour operators and destination management companies (DMCs), to help drive demand for Ireland among international visitors in both the leisure and the UltraLuxe* markets.
These meetings, which will take place virtually over four days, represent tens of thousands of possible visitors and hundreds of millions in revenue for Ireland, as Irish tourism attractions and activities across the country try to influence the travel itineraries of these high-profile tour operators and DMCs, for 2022 and beyond.
The workshop for businesses on the Wild Atlantic Way Ireland’s takes place today and offer the leisure and ultraluxe suppliers the chance to connect and pitch their offering to 24 Irish tour operators and DMCs. These operators represent some of the most influential high-end tour operators in Ireland who have expressed an interest in growing their leisure and ultraluxe business into Ireland.
Responding to this, Fáilte Ireland developed a leisure and UltraLuxe programme in October 2020 to ensure that there would be consistency in terms of creation, delivery, and execution of leisure and UltraLuxe experiences across Ireland.
Ahead of these important B2B workshops, Fáilte Ireland provided a series of online webinars and mentoring supports for the Irish suppliers so that they are ready to pitch their experience at the virtual workshops this week.
The ultraluxe and leisure markets are potential areas of sustainable growth for Irish tourism. Fáilte Ireland research shows that these international visitors are looking for truly immersive Irish experiences, meeting and engaging with the local people and community but more importantly eco-friendly and sustainable tourism experiences are key to the international traveller for 2022 and beyond.
Paul Keeley, Fáilte Ireland’s Director of Regional Development, commented: “Fáilte Ireland is really excited about the potential business that will come out of these virtual workshops for Clare. Typically, higher spenders, these markets offers us an opportunity to deliver sustainable growth to Irish tourism in the longer term.
One size fits all approach does not work with this segment – they want to have an experience that is tailored and customized to their interest and motivations, and they are keener on the experiential elements than the materialistic elements. Therefore, for Ireland to actively target these market segments, it is necessary that not only a wide range of luxury accommodation options exist but a strong portfolio of unique experiences and products that are in line with the leisure and UltraLuxe travel client expectations and can deliver on client expectations consistently.”
The Clare businesses taking part in the workshops include:
Doolin Music House, Burren Smokehouse Ltd, Cliffs Of Moher, Burren Farm Experience, JJ Corry Whiskey, Sionnan Luxury Cruises, The Burren Perfumery, McKernan Woollen Mills, Killaloe River Cruises.
