Specialist Irish fishing and tourism businesses joined Tourism Ireland in the north-western French city of Nantes over the weekend, for this year’s ‘Salon Européen des 

Pêches en Mer’ sea angling fair.

 

Focusing mainly on sea angling and boating, the fair attracted about 18,000 visitors, including travel agents and tour operators who specialise in angling holidays, as well as many thousands of French fishing enthusiasts, all looking for ideas and suggestions for their next fishing break or holiday destination.

 

Monica MacLaverty, Tourism Ireland’s head of southern Europe, said: “2014 was a record year for French visitors to Ireland and Tourism Ireland is undertaking an extensive programme of promotional activity throughout 2015 – to keep the momentum going and build on that growth. Fishing is very popular here in France and is just one of the activities we are promoting, highlighting Galway and Ireland as a fantastic fishing and holiday destination.”

 

According to CSO figures, visitor numbers from France grew by +5% in 2014, an extra 22,000 French visitors compared to 2013.