Tourism

New Paris Tourism Event

'Irish' Cert for Amex Chief

Ed Kelly, president of American Express Publishing Corporation, was presented with his Certificate of Irish Heritage in New York by Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland. The certificate is an acknowledgement by the Irish Government of an individual’s historic link with Ireland.

01amex He is pictured (second from left) with Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland (second right) Alison Metcalfe and Joe Byrne, from Tourism Ireland.

Ed Kelly’s ancestors hail from Sligo. Receiving the certificate, Mr Kelly said: “I’m proud to be Irish and curious to learn more about my ancestry and Sligo connection. This Certificate of Irish Heritage will be proudly displayed and admired in the Kelly home.”

Tourism Ireland announced that 2013 is to be Ireland’s ‘Family History Year’, in a bid to encourage people in the US, and elsewhere around the world, to find out more about their Irish ancestry. Niall Gibbons, Tourism Ireland’s CEO, said: “With an estimated 70 million people across the world claiming links or affiliations with the island of Ireland, Tourism Ireland is actively reaching out to the Diaspora in this special year of The Gathering Ireland. We are inviting them to visit Ireland, learn more about their heritage and explore the places their ancestors came from. For those with a deeper interest in their ancestry, there are more talks, seminars and clan gathering taking place in 2013 than ever before. Our message to the Diaspora in the United States, and throughout the world, is that there has never been a better year to visit Ireland, to trace their ancestry and learn more about their Irish roots.”

Trips Up, Bednights Down

While slightly more visitors came to Ireland iin 2012, they stayed for a shorter period than in 2011 according to the latest CSO statisticss released to-day (Thursday).

Trips to Ireland by overseas visitors in 2012 totalled 6.517m, up 0.2% on the 6.505m. who arrived in 2011. The number of nights which these visitors spent in Ireland was down by 4.7% on 2011 from 50.3m. to 47.9m. bednights.

The figures reflect a shorter average stay per visitor.

'Hola' Ireland

Travel agents from Spain enjoyed a visit to Ireland , as guests of Tourism Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and Spanish tour operator Travelplan. They were here to check out some of the many things to see and do in Ireland and to find out what’s in store for Spanish holidaymakers during this special year of The Gathering Ireland.

They are pictured with tour guide Yamile Mugsi (front right), at the Ballinahown Tea Rooms.

The first stop for the travel agents was Dublin, where they enjoyed a walking tour of the city and visits to the Guinness Storehouse and Trinity College. They continued to the Ballinahown Tea Rooms in Co Westmeath and also enjoyed a guided tour of the monastic site at Clonmacnoise. Then it was on to Galway city and Connemara, where they visited Kylemore Abbey and Clifden. They returned to Dublin, where they visited Malahide Castle before returning home to Spain.

Barbara Wood, Tourism Ireland’s manager in Spain, said: “We are delighted that these travel agents have taken time out from their busy schedules to come and visit Ireland. For many, it was their first time here and they were impressed by our scenery, the many things to see and do here, as well as by the hospitality and friendliness of the people they met. Familiarisation visits such as these are extremely important as they help the travel agents to know exactly what we have to offer potential Spanish holidaymakers; the aim is to enthuse them about the destination so that when they return to Spain they are better equipped to advise their clients on future travel plans.