Tourism Ireland in France has launched its marketing plans for 2016, at an event in Paris 

attended by 40 leading French tour operators and travel journalists. France is one of the top four markets for tourism to the island of Ireland and 2015 was the third record-breaking year in a row for French visitors to Ireland. In fact, last year we welcomed more than half a million French visitors for the first time ever.

Pictured are Francis Gouhier, Vacances Transat; Monica Ramchandani, Aer Lingus; Serge Fonseca, Finola O’Mahony and Elmagh Killeen, all Tourism Ireland; Eoghan O’Mara Walsh, Irish Tourist Industry Confederation (ITIC); Florence Gourdon, Brittany Ferries; Caitriona Butler, Irish Ferries; Agnès Nicolas, Comptoir des Voyages – Pays Celtes; and Thomas Bergeal, Odigeo Group – Opodo. 

In 2016, Tourism Ireland aims to grow French visitors numbers by +5%. Building on last year’s success and sustaining growth into the future is at the heart of the organisation’s strategy. A key factor working in our favour includes improved access, with a +5% increase in airline seats for summer 2016 and flights from 25 different French airports to the island of Ireland, as well as excellent ferry connections.

Tourism Ireland will continue to target three key audiences in France: ‘culturally curious’, ‘great escapers’ and ‘social energisers’. Major promotional themes will include our spectacular coastal routes, including the Wild Atlantic Way and the Causeway Coastal Route; living historical stories and Ireland’s Ancient East; as well as city breaks to Dublin and Belfast.