Tourism Ireland launches new campaign

The campaign is being launched this week in New York to coincide with the peak travel season that starts in May and runs through October.
Jim McGuigan, executive vice president of Tourism Ireland in North America, said that the campaign would be channeled through television, newspapers and magazines and Internet advertising.
“Now is the right time to bring all of our promotional and advertising resources to bear on the U.S. consumer travel market,” McGuigan said.
The TV and print ads will be launched on May 4 with a further round starting on May 11 in the travel sections of major American newspapers.
A series of disasters have struck the tourist market in Ireland, starting with the foot-and-mouth crisis of 2001, followed by the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks and a major economic downturn. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq also saw Americans choosing to stay home rather than travel beyond U.S. shores.
New York City has reported a slow but perceptible rise in tourists coming from Europe and the Middle East in the last few months, usually an indication that tourism all round is picking up.
At www.shamrock.org, travelers with Ireland in their sights can find a host of useful information to help plan a vacation to Ireland.
The Jeanie Johnston replica Famine-era ship will also be used to reintroduce Americans to Ireland at its various east coast ports of call.
Professional golfer Padraig Harrington will help promote Ireland as a golfer’s paradise and a sweepstakes promotion will air on radio stations nationwide.
And Continental Airlines will feature an Ireland video message on its video screens in many of its aircraft in the next few months.
McGuigan promised that the campaign would be accompanied with greater resources to take people to Ireland and cater to them while they are there.
“Ireland will have more air carriers, more seat capacity on the route, more access for intending travelers from more U.S. gateway cities, and better pricing than ever before,” McGuigan said. “We look forward to a strong travel season.”