Canadian visits to Ireland this year are expected to run to more than two-thirds of pre-pandemic levels as the worldwide travel recovery continues.
Tourism Ireland officials were in Toronto on 13DEC to meet with tour operators, airlines and others on the trade and media side. Numbers aren’t quite back to 2019, but Ireland Tourism is very happy as 2022 comes to a close.
Alison Metcalfe, EVP Canada and USA for Tourism Ireland, told Open Jaw that Canadian visits this year are roughly 70% of what they were in 2019, when 248,000 Canadians visited Ireland and Northern Ireland. That was a record year, and represented the 10th consecutive year of growth, she said.
There’s no forecast for 2023 numbers from Canada, but Metcalfe noted that air lift is back to 96% of pre-pandemic levels.
Metcalfe had a whirlwind day in Canada’s biggest city, meeting with tour operators, airline reps and others.
“We really do value the retail community,” she said. “And the importance of travel advisors; I think that’s only grown since COVID. We pay for so many other professional services, why not pay for when you’re planning a trip? If things do go belly up, who do you want to call?”
Sandra Moffatt, Market Manager for Tourism Ireland in Canada, said Canadian advisors can take advantage of ongoing educational programs and tool kits. The Tourism Ireland Facebook page offers the latest information and also details on fam trips.
Tourism Ireland will bring 20 industry reps to Canada early next year, with visits to London, Ottawa, Halifax and Newfoundland between 27FEB and 02MAR of next year.
Metcalfe said she’s delighted with the speed and strength of the travel recovery.
“It’s been stronger than any of us anticipated, really. It’s right across the board for most of our markets. If you look at Canada, we’re around 70% of 2019 levels. But when you think about it, it’s really a seven or eight month figure, because things didn’t really get going until April or May of this year.”
Tourism Ireland was in a restart phase this year as the pandemic eased. Now they’re looking at rebuilding sustainable growth.
“Our goal is to pivot back to focusing on revenue,” not just on the sheer number of visitors, she said.
“Sustainability is at the heart of our three-year plan. The first issue is economic sustainability: making sure we have businesses that can be sustained over the long term. And then there’s environmental and social sustainability.
“We want tourism to have a positive impact right across the board.”
Canadians' Travel Patterns to Ireland and New Travel Trends
Metcalfe said Tourism Ireland is looking at ways to extend the traditional tourist season, and to ensure visitors have the opportunity to travel to many regions out around the island and Northern Ireland.
“That’s where the Canadian market is really great. Canadians like to tour; they like to get out and about into the regions. And they’re very long-staying visitors.
“Back in 2019, if you look at total visitors or total tourists, the average stay (for Canadians) was 11 nights. That's one of highest rates for any visitors to Ireland. Probably only Australia is higher. It’s pretty impressive.”
There’s been a rise in multi-generational travel in Ireland of late. Another trend is young people taking three or four-day trips to Ireland.
“Instead of going to LA or Vancouver, why not go to Ireland for three or four days?”
Off-season travel often provides better air fares, and visitors also will find fewer crowds, Metcalfe noted.
“It’s a very temperate climate and we seldom get snow. The value is there. The smart traveller knows that.”
Post-Pandemic New Offerings
Metcalfe said Irish businesses took advantage of quiet times during COVID-19 and made tremendous investments in tourism products and experiences.
“There are a lot of new immersive experiences in the food space, the music space,” she said. “Titanic Belfast is closing its galleries for a $12 million renovation, with more artefacts and more immersive experiences.”
“Canadians are really interested in Irish music and culture, those quintessential experiences,” Moffatt said. “Belfast was just designated a UNESCO city of music, for example.”
The Open golf championship, aka The British Open, will be played at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland in 2025, while the Ryder Cup (top European golfers against the best U.S. players) will be at Adare Manor in 2027.
Metcalfe said movie and television tourism has been big in Ireland for years.
“It’s the gift that keeps giving,” she said. “Ireland is viewed as a very attractive filming location.”
The new movie “Banshees of Inisherin” is drawing visitors to Inis Mor, off County Galway, and Achill Island, off County Mayo, where you’ll find sensational surfing and stimulating scenery.
"We talk about the Wild Atlantic Way. It doesn’t get any wilder than that,” Metcalfe said with a smile.
The Game of Thrones Studio Tour opened a year or so ago in Banbridge, between Dublin and Belfast. A Dungeons and Dragons movie is expected next year after filming in Iceland and Northern Ireland.
Asked what areas of the country she’d like to see covered more frequently, Metcalfe citied areas in the island’s northwest, including Donegal, Sligo and Mayo.
“You hear a lot about golf in the area, but it’s really unspoiled. The Slieve League cliffs (near Donegal) are higher than the Cliffs of Moher.”
(Your loyal correspondent was able to take in the astonishing beauty of Slieve League a number of years ago and counted four visitors. Cliffs of Moher had at least a half-dozen tour buses.)
The “hidden heartlands” in the middle of Ireland also make for a magical holiday that allows a visitor to really slow down. One great option is a 10-day cruise on the River Shannon, Moffatt said.
"I'd also recommend Derry/Londonderry as a place to visit."
For more information, please visit Ireland.com
