Published on Tuesday16thSeptember2014

New Strategy Unveiled to Boost Tourism From Canada

Pictured are Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland’s head of North America; Tourism Minister Paschal Donohoe; Niall Gibbons, Tourism Ireland CEO; at the launch of Tourism Ireland’s new plan, ‘Canada: Land of Opportunity – A Strategy for Growth 2014-2016’

Pictured are Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland’s head of North America; Tourism Minister Paschal Donohoe; Niall Gibbons, Tourism Ireland CEO; at the launch of Tourism Ireland’s new plan, ‘Canada: Land of Opportunity – A Strategy for Growth 2014-2016’

Tourism Ireland targets +47% growth in Canadian visitors and revenue

High spend and length of stay are key positives for Canadian market

Canada offers significant potential for Irish tourism, according to a Tourism Ireland strategy launched today by Tourism Minister Paschal Donohoe.

A new plan, ‘Canada: Land of Opportunity – A Strategy for Growth 2014-2016’, sets out challenging and ambitious targets which will see the number of Canadian visitors to the island of Ireland grow by +47% to 184,000 by the end of 2016, delivering revenue of €134 million.

Visitor numbers are estimated to have grown by +28% over the period 2011 to 2013. In 2013 alone, approximately 125,000 Canadians visited the island of Ireland, spending about €91 million.

This new Tourism Ireland strategy – developed in close co-operation with a wide range of industry partners, at home and in Canada – has been designed to build on this success.

One of the key factors working in our favour is the number of direct flights from Canada to Ireland, which has grown dramatically this year. For the first time ever this winter, there will be direct, scheduled services from Toronto to Ireland.

Minister Donohoe said:

The launch of ‘Canada: Land of Opportunity – A Strategy for Growth 2014-2016’ comes on the back of Tourism Ireland’s €11 million autumn campaign launch just last week. These two initiatives will work in conjunction with each other to build on the number of Canadians who are visiting Ireland each year by encouraging them to see Ireland as a year-round destination. Last week’s CSO figures, which outlined that overseas visitors to Ireland spent an estimated €1.5 billion between January and June this year, highlighted the importance of this sector to our economy. With two-thirds of the Canadians who come to Ireland coming as holidaymakers, the need to continue to focus on increasing these numbers has never been greater. Ireland and Canada have always had strong links. This strategy will help develop those links by enticing those who have never been to pay us a first visit and by encouraging those who have been here before to return again.

Read the full press release

here

.