Selling Kildare to US MICE

Into Kildare, the County Kildare tourism board, in partnership with the Dublin Convention Bureau, led an inaugural sales mission in the USA. Prior to the engagement, Into Kildare secured one to one, prescheduled appointments, providing a valuable opportunity for Into Kildare members to meet and do business with the most prominent buyers within the Meeting, Incentive, Conference and Events (MICE) business in the States. The meetings were held across a number of days in the Fitzpatrick Manhattan Hotel, New York.

Into Kildare, along with members of the tourism and hospitality trade from Kildare, also had the opportunity to visit CIE in America, the Tourism Ireland offices in New York, as well as the Consulate General of Ireland in America. These meetings offered an opportunity to showcase all that Kildare has to offer to strengthen ties and form future collaborations with the U.S market, which forms part of Into Kildare’s overall strategy of raising awareness and further increasing exposure for the county.

The event was a great success with many new connections formed and was attended by some of the county’s leading hotels and tourism outlets including Newbridge Silverware, Kilkea Castle, Barberstown Castle, Killashee Hotel, Club at Goffs and Kildare Village.

Áine Mangan, CEO of Into Kildare said:

“With essential feedback from our members, the US was identified as a key market for business. For many people of Irish descent living and working in the States, as well as those with Irish connections or an affinity for Ireland, we felt it was an essential market for growth and building connections. This sales mission was very successful and allowed us to showcase the County of Kildare as a destination to do business in Ireland.”

Into Kildare also had the pleasure of the company of the newly crowned Rose of Tralee 2023 winner, Róisín Wiley. The Irish American, who will now represent Ireland, is also the vice president of sales at a New York City marketing firm.