Ireland Claims ‘Home of Halloween’
As young people play “Trick or Treat” and other American-invented Halloween games, Tourism Ireland is proclaiming that the real “Home of Halloween” is the Emerald Isle.
A multi-market campaign went live in mid-September to reach potential visitors in time for autumn holiday booking timelines. Halloween is a favourite calendar moment in many countries around the world, yet only a minority of revellers are aware that it originated in Ireland around 2,000 years ago in Celtic culture.
In the first month since launch, the campaign has achieved results reflecting a strong audience response:
- 14 million views on English language YouTube
- 100 million views across languages and channels (TV, cinema, online)
- 200,000 research sessions focused on Halloween festivals and activities on Ireland.com
- Among those who saw the campaign, twice the level of recognition that Halloween began in Ireland and 7/10 more likely to want to visit
Alice Mansergh, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, said:
“Halloween is one of the world’s favourite festivals, but not everyone knows that it originated on these shores around 2,000 years ago. At Tourism Ireland, we’re excited to change that, inviting visitors to experience Halloween where it all started. There are wonderful festivals to enjoy, from Derry Halloween to Púca in Meath, Bram Stoker in Dublin, Macnas in Galway and so much more, with thanks to our partners in local authorities, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland.
“We have been thrilled to see the positive response overseas to our ‘Home of Halloween’ campaign, including over 100 million views across 13 markets within a month of launch, twice the recognition of Ireland as the birthplace of Halloween, and an increased likelihood to visit, all teeing up substantial benefits for off-season tourism.”
The campaign launched with a 60-second film shot in black and white to cover the early origins of Halloween in Celtic culture, before bursting into colour with modern-day festivals. The ad features landscapes and locations around Ireland, including Poulnabrone Dolmen, the Giant’s Causeway, Derry, Craggaunowen Crannóg and Newgrange. The full campaign features a mix of promotion across TV, cinema and digital channels in 13 key tourism markets, including Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland. Watch the video on YouTube here.
To further highlight Ireland’s connection with Halloween, Tourism Ireland is rolling out a busy programme of other promotional activity, including podcasts, B2B trade events and webinars, co-operative marketing and visits by international journalists to Púca, Derry Halloween and the Macnas parade, as well as live radio and satellite TV broadcasts from Derry Halloween.
Ireland was also promoted to around 70 top tour operators, travel agents and journalists from Germany and Belgium this week. Nine tourism industry partners from Ireland took part in the events in Munich and Ghent. Guests heard presentations on Púca and Derry Halloween.
“Monsters, Misfits and Mayhem” descended on Bunratty Castle & Folk Park over the October Bank Holiday Weekend as the County Clare visitor attraction was transformed into a haunted Halloween village.