Mary Lydon and Paula Irwin of Discover Meath, with Miriam O'Connell, Tourism Ireland (centre), at the recent BBC Good Food Show in Birmingham. Attracting approximately 80,000 food-loving visitors, the Good Food Show is the largest consumer food and drink exhibition in Britain.

Meath Tourism plans to capitalise on Solheim Cup exposure

Ann Casey

Published: Wed 14 Dec 2011, 4:50 PM

The extensive efforts by Meath Tourism to promote the country around the world was outlined at a meeting of Meath County Council last week. James Brennan of Meath Tourism told councillors that the Solheim Cup had been a huge success for the county, but it was just the beginning of the journey. "We created a legacy for ourselves and filled all our members' accommodation as well as bringing out 'The Little Black Book of Golf', which is still in date," he said. The meeting heard that there were fantastic golf courses in the county and, as crucial momentum had been built up by the hosting of the Solheim Cup, the tourism body now had to strike while the iron was hot to position Meath as Ireland's best value golf destination. One of Meath Tourism's aims this year is to have Meath voted Ireland's most popular county in a Facebook campaign. and to develop promotional videos on YouTube. The 'Meath - Where Halloween Began' festival will be a headline event for the county in 2012 with over 40 events. This year's festival saw 50,000 people attending the various events around the county. Meath Tourism will also be using main attractions and sporting events as a hook to attract people to the county and Mr Brennan said they would be out there in 2012 promoting the county at home and abroad. In January, efforts will begin by promoting the county at the Belfast Golf Society Night, Holiday World Belfast, the Brussels Holiday Fair and the Temple Bar Traditional Festival in Dublin. The tourism body also will attend the Best of Britain and Ireland Show in Birmingham and the ITOA Workshops in Dublin in March. Representatives of Meath Tourism will attend the Failte Ireland workshops in Dublin in April, which will be attended by 300 of the world's best tour operators, and they will also attend the SITC Fair in Barcelona the same month. Meath will also be promoted at the Balmoral Show in Belfast and the Bloom Festival in Dublin in May, while other events will be the Discover Meath and the Boyne Valley event at the Irish Open in Killarney in June. The Ladies Irish Open takes place once again next year at Killeen Castle in August. In September, Meath will be promoted at the National Ploughing Championships and at the Tourism Ireland Promotional Roadshow in the UK, while in November the tourism promoters will attend the World Travel Market in London and the BBC Good Food Show at the NEC in Birmingham.