Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring joined Tourism Ireland and Irish tourism enterprises at the World Travel Market in London.

Now in its 33rd year, World Travel Market is the largest B2B event in the global travel and tourism calendar, with almost 50,000 representatives of the industry from around the world and 3,000 influential international media in attendance. According to the organisers of WTM, about £1.6 billion’s worth of business was transacted at the event last year. This year, 68 Irish tourism enterprises – including hotels, ferry companies, visitor attractions, coach hire companies, incoming tour operators, hostels and activity providers – were on the Tourism Ireland stand.

With over 200 countries all vying for business at WTM this week, Tourism Ireland aims to stand out from the crowd and capture the attention of the influential global media and travel trade in attendance. The Gathering Ireland 2013, the biggest and most ambitious tourism-led event ever held in Ireland, will be the highlight of next year and there is a major focus on The Gathering on the Tourism Ireland stand at this year’s World Travel Market.

Michael Ring said: “This is one of the most important events for promoting Ireland to the global tourism trade. It’s a great opportunity to promote The Gathering Ireland and encourage more tourism operators to include Ireland in their itineraries as a destination. Although visitor numbers to Ireland from Europe and further afield are growing, the British market remains disappointing. That’s why I will be focusing on Britain in particular at the World Travel Market, and building on the new GB tourism strategy produced recently by the Irish tourism industry.”

Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland, said: “The large representation of our industry partners on the Tourism Ireland stand at WTM this year is extremely welcome and essential in the highly competitive global marketplace.

Partners on the Tourism Ireland stand at World Travel Market 2012

32CC/Irish Coaches/Hello Ireland Tours

Abbey Tours

Ashling Hotel

Atlantic Hospitality Services

Belfast Visitor & Convention Bureau

Best Western Ireland

Brennan Hotel Group

Camden Court Hotel

Carlton Hotel Galway

Carlton Hotel Group

Castle Leslie Estate

Castle Oaks House Hotel

Causeway Coast & Glens

Celtic Group Hostels

Choice Hotels Ireland

CIE Tours International

Croke Park Hotel & Conference Centre

Cronins Coaches Ltd

Culture & Heritage Tours

Culture Company 2013 (Derry~Londonderry UK City of Culture 2013)

Customer Survey Technologies International

Dalata Hotel Group

Derry Visitor & Convention Bureau

Destination Killarney

Dublin Bus Sightseeing Tours

Experience Gaelic Games

Extreme Ireland

Fermanagh Lakeland Tourism

Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel

Great National Hotels

Guinness Storehouse

Hilton Dublin Kilmainham

IHF South East

IrishTourism.com Ltd

Irish Welcome Tours

Killarney Hotels Ltd

Killary Cruises & Liffey River Cruises

Killashee House Hotel

Knock Shrine Pilgrimages

Kylemore Abbey & Victorian Walled Garden

Lee Hotels, Mespil & Sligo Park Hotel

Manor House Hotels & Irish Country Hotels

M.B.A. & Ireland’s Choice

McWilliam Park Hotel

Moloney & Kelly Travel

Muckross Park Hotel

National Museums Northern Ireland

Paddywagon Tours

Prem Group Hotels

Railtours Ireland First Class

Regency Hotel Group

Select Hotels of Ireland

Shannon Ferries

Shannon Heritage

Sligo Park Hotel

South West Walks Ireland

SRC Hotels Ireland

Stena Line Ltd

Taylors Three Rock

Temple Bar Hotel

The g Hotel

The Merchant Hotel

The Morrison hotel

Tifco Hotels Ireland

Travelodge Ireland

Visit Dublin

Visit Waterford

Whites Hotel Group/Irish & English Tours

Martha Kavanagh