It may only be a couple of dozen welcomes in reality, but symbolically a delegation of Irish suppliers is offering Cead Mile Failte, or “one hundred thousand welcomes,” to Canadian travel agents this week as Tourism Ireland travesl cross country on a sale mission marking a return to in-person agent events for the first time since February 2020.

The tourist board kicked off in Toronto on Monday before heading out to western Canada with a delegation of 15 tourism enterprises from Ireland and three Canadian partners taking part in the targeted showcase events in the Ontario capital along with Calgary, Vancouver, and Victoria.

Presented under the tourism board’s “Press the Green Button” theme, the events are designed to highlight the direct gateways from Canada and to help advisors sell Ireland by targeting the key consumer passion points of adventure and experiences, ‘craic’ and culture, history and heritage, as well as luxury travel via panel discussions by Irish industry experts.

The mission, says Sandra Moffatt, Manager, Tourism Ireland Canada, is a key strategy in the recovery efforts post-COVID and an opportunity for Tourism Ireland to highlight new and existing offerings to the travel trade, ensuring they are enthusiastic and equipped to sell the destination to their clients.

At the kick-off in Toronto at the Royal York Hotel, Moffatt noted that Ireland has no travel restrictions, and with 96% of 2019 air access restored from Canada, it is the ideal time for clients to “push the green button” on a trip to the island.

“We are very excited to back in action during this important series of events this week after a two-year break from being able to connect with the travel trade in person,” Moffatt said, adding, “Canadian holidaymakers are highly valued, and our aim is to continue to rebuild visitor numbers from Canada with our extensive program of high impact campaigns and promotions.

“Our sales mission across Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta provides an excellent platform to meet with, and educate, agents as well as kickstart our promotional efforts highlighting the many great things to see and do around the island of Ireland, as well as the warm Irish welcome and hospitality the country is so well known for,” she continued. “Ireland is open for business, and we cannot wait to welcome Canadians back to the Emerald Isle.”

At a pre-event press lunch in Toronto, Irish ambassador to Canada Dr. Eamonn McKee highlighted the strong historic connections between Ireland and Canada and noted the high percentage of Canadians with Irish roots.

But, he added, “I don’t think the Irish story in Canada has been (fully) told,” emphasizing that it is a very different one to south of the border. To that end, he said, Canadians have many opportunities to learn much more, both here and, more importantly, in Ireland.

To get there, Aer Lingus’ Paula Curtin Svadlena noted that the Irish national carrier is the only airline to provide year-round service from Toronto.

Upon arrival, a good starting point to discover Ireland’s story is at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, suggested the attraction’s head of sales, David Cleary, explaining the newish venue in Dublin is “a museum about people, and why they left Ireland.” One exhibit references Canadian mainstays The Irish Rovers, who hit the heights of their success after emigrating to Canada. There are also genealogical opportunities available to visitors.

Presenters pointed out that there is no shortage of ways to discover the country and its unique heritage – and where to do it in and from, including a wide range of accommodation options, from homes to castles, via B&B Ireland, Ireland’s Blue book, Original Irish Hotels, and Dromoland Castle.

Visitors might meet a local family in their modest abode, or stately home, or linger around a fire at a country inn.

There were also updates on attractions (Titanic Belfast, Powerscourt Distiller, Mussenden Sea Salt); sport (Experience Gaelic Games) and destinations (OPW – Ireland Heritage, Arran Island Ferries, and Waterford Treasures).

As for current trends, Marie Chawke of Dromoland Castle said visitors do seem to be “not hopping around as much,” choosing to base themselves in one hotel or region for three or four nights and exploring the region.

But the bigger trend, added Sibhan Byrne Learat of luxury travel agency Adams & Butler, is that “there is no trends.”

“People are combining a lot of interests in one trip,” she explained – some of them based on new-found interests developed during the pandemic, such as knitting.

The unexpected highlight for one of her high-end clients on a recent trip, she said, was riding on the back of a tractor to a beach to collect oysters.

People, she adds, are “much more forward. They’re saying, ‘I want this!’”

Tourism Ireland reminds that it has a host of assets accessible to Canadian travel agents, including a specialist program, dedicated Ireland Insiders Facebook page, content pool with useable images and videos, and monthly e-zine (sign up on the trade.ireland.com trade portal). Agents can also contact Lauren Lamonday, Tourism Ireland’s new executive in charge of business partnerships and customer relationship management in Toronto.