THE close ties between the Irish Tourist Board and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board have been strengthened with the launch of an all-Ireland advertising campaign which starts at the end of this month.
The two tourist authorities together, with the travel trade, are jointly funding a £1.25m television campaign, to be screened across the country until the end of June.
This will be followed by a £500,000 campaign to market the six counties of Northern Ireland and the six adjoining counties in the Irish Republic in the northeast of England and in Scotland.
In addition, the Irish Tourist Board will run a simultaneous print campaign in national magazines, including Sunday newspaper colour supplements, until the end of June. This will be backed up by direct mail and some specialist advertising.
Margaret Cahill, general manager of the Irish Tourist Board in Great Britain said:”This is our biggest ever advertising campaign. We have been very successful so far in encouraging people to come to Ireland but we know that if we are to continue to be successful, we have to continue to market the country.
“We hope that by working closely with the Northern Ireland Tourist Board we will be able to encourage more people to visit both destinations in one holiday.
“In particular, we expect increasing numbers will go to Northern Ireland from the south.”
To encourage tour operators to offer programmes to both Northern Ireland and Ireland, the two tourist boards timed their annual travel trade workshops to run back to back for the first time this year, allowing buyers to visit both countries in a single trip.
The Ireland Holiday workshop was held in Dublin on May 11-12 and the Northern Ireland workshop was staged in Belfast on May 12.
More than 100 UK tour operators were invited to the event in Dublin, while 22 attended the Northern Ireland workshop.
“The workshop in Dublin was the biggest ever travel event held in Ireland,” said Cahill. “Most tour operators are expanding their programmes to Ireland and this was a good chance for them to meet hoteliers and ground handlers to discuss their plans.”
She said many established operators are bringing out second programmes to Ireland, such as short breaks or activity holidays, but she said the tourist board was keen to see them offer more than just Dublin.
Consequently, the tourist board has decided to only provide financial support for operators who are promoting regional areas, rather than those who offer city breaks to Dublin.
The tourist board has a £150,000 grant from the European Union to support UK operators’ advertising campaigns, but it is not sure whether it will be able to provide the same backing next year as this is the last year of EU funding. “It will probably be the middle of next year before we find out what new funds there will be from the EU,” said Cahill.
Meanwhile, access to both Northern Ireland and Ireland is improving with the launch of new flights (see page 52) and better ferry services.
Irish Ferries is starting a fast-craft service between Holyhead and Dublin in June, Stena has upgraded facilities on its ships on the Irish Sea crossing, and Swansea Cork Ferries has confirmed it will take delivery of a new ship next year.