Austrian Journalists in ‘Heartlands’

A group of Austrian travel journalists have been exploring Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands as guests of Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland. The group, which includes representatives of a national newspaper and two regional newspapers in Austria, has a combined reach of more than 1.3 million readers. 

Pictured are Constanze Anton-Grabner, Tourism Ireland; Jakob Kriegl, Kleine Zeitung; Timo Völker, Die Presse; and Bernhard Lichtenberger, OÖ Nachrichten, at Birr Castle Demesne.

The group’s itinerary included visits to Belvedere House, Gardens & Park, Kilbeggan Distillery Experience, Dead Centre Brewing and a river cruise with Viking Tours Ireland to the monastic site of Clonmacnoise. They also enjoyed a wild food foraging experience in Birr with Wild Food Mary, as well as guided tours of Birr Castle Demesne, the Irish Workhouse Centre, the National Famine Museum at Strokestown, the Arigna Mining Experience and the Shed Distillery. They finished off their trip with a Moon River cruise along the River Shannon and a trip to Lough Key Forest and Activity Park.

Aubrey Irwin, Tourism Ireland’s Manager for Austria and Switzerland, said: 

“Tourism Ireland was delighted to invite these influential Austrian travel writers to Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands. The articles they write when they return home will be read by more than 1.3 million people – so their visit is a really good opportunity to showcase Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands to a wide audience of prospective Austrian visitors.”

In 2019, Ireland welcomed 81,000 visitors from Austria to the island of Ireland, who spent €71 million during their time here.