The Royal County in the Big Apple

Representatives of Meath County Council, in New York for the St Patrick’s Day period, met with senior executives from Tourism Ireland on Thursday. They were briefed on Tourism Ireland’s promotional programme in the United States for 2024, which is in full swing.

Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland’s Head of North America, said: “We were delighted to meet with the representatives of Meath County Council and to have the opportunity to brief them about the extensive promotional programme we are undertaking in the United States this year. The US remains an extremely important market for tourism to the island of Ireland – it’s our most important market in terms of revenue and our second-largest market in terms of visitor numbers. Visitors from the United States tend to stay longer, spend more and tour extensively around our regions.

“Our St Patrick’s Day programme includes a major programme of trade, media and consumer activity. Our aim is to remind American holidaymakers that Ireland offers the warmest of welcomes and great fun, as well as wonderful scenery and heritage. We are taking every opportunity to capitalise on Ireland’s heightened profile around this St Patrick’s Day period.”

This year, Tourism Ireland is rolling out an extensive programme of promotions in the United States, to increase the value of overseas tourism to the island of Ireland, supporting economies, communities and the environment, by inspiring potential US visitors about all that Ireland has to offer and by strengthening strategic partnerships.

Pictured in New York are Barry Lynch, Meath County Council; Cllr Paddy Meade, Meath County Council; Kieran Kehoe, Chief Executive of Meath County Council; Cllr Paul McCabe, Leas Cathaoirleach of Meath County Council; Brittany Gallagher, Tourism Ireland; Cllr Caroline O’Reilly, Meath County Council; Gráinne Aylward and Sarah Hamilton, both Tourism Ireland; and Martin Murray, Meath County Council, in the Tourism Ireland office in New York.