Ireland golf ‘on par’ with the best at PGA Show, Florida

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Tourism Ireland’s golf promotional programme for 2018 kicks off this week in Orlando, Florida. Twelve (12) golf and tourism operators from around the island of Ireland, as well as two American golf tour operators, joined Tourism Ireland at the PGA Golf Merchandise Show in Orlando, to highlight our world-class golf.The PGA Show is one of the biggest golf exhibitions in the United States, attracting more than 40,000 golf professionals and enthusiasts, as well as around 1,000 influential golf journalists, each year.
*“The American golf market remains a priority for Tourism Ireland in 2018 and we will continue to promote the island of Ireland as a top golf destination, capitalising on the global success of our golfers including Rory McIlroy, Padraig Harrington, Shane Lowry, Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell,”* said Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland’s Head of North America. *“Golf is the world’s largest sports-related travel market and Tourism Ireland is working hard to drive home the message that a golfing holiday in Ireland is about much more than a round of 18 holes – the combination of our world-class golf and our unique brand of hospitality plays a key role in attracting American golfers to visit.”*
>Our world-class golf was highlighted to some 100 influential golf tour operators, journalists and golf pros earlier this week, before the PGA Show kicked off – at a special Ireland Golf Day, sponsored by Tourism Ireland and North & West Coast Links, at The Golden Bear Club at Keene’s Point in Orlando.
Tourism Ireland will roll out an extensive programme of activity to promote golf on the island of Ireland in the United States this year – in particular highlighting the 2018 Irish Open at Ballyliffin and The Open in 2019 at Royal Portrush. Building on the successful ‘Home of Champions’ campaign, Tourism Ireland’s TV ad will air on the NBC Golf Channel and online on Golfchannel.com around the ‘Majors’ – kicking off with the Masters at Augusta, in April. A digital campaign will run on popular golf websites, driving potential golf holidaymakers to Ireland.com/golf; and Tourism Ireland will invite influential American golf journalists to come and experience our world-class courses for themselves.
Alison Metcalfe continued: *“In 2017, we welcomed a record 1.83 million North American visitors to the island of Ireland. Looking to the year ahead, we are confident that our strategy – combined with more airline seats than ever before from the US, a strong dollar, as well as the strength and competitiveness of the vacation experience right around the island of Ireland – will deliver further growth. Our aim is to deliver a +5% increase in visitor numbers and +7% increase in revenue from North America in 2018. We look forward to welcoming more of our great friends from the United States this year and in the years to come.”*
**Pic Caption: Golf and tourism operators from Ireland and the US with Alison Metcalfe (eighth right) and Billy Condon (right), both Tourism Ireland, at the PGA Golf Merchandise Show in Orlando.**
• Tourism Ireland is the organisation responsible for promoting the island of Ireland overseas as a leading holiday destination.
• Tourism is the island of Ireland’s largest indigenous industry; responsible for in excess of 4% of GNP in the Republic of Ireland and employing approximately 281,000 people across the island.
• In 2017, we welcomed approximately 10.65 million overseas visitors to the island of Ireland, delivering revenue of about €5.78 billion.
• Tourism Ireland’s international website is www.ireland.com, 29 market sites available in 11 language versions around the world, which attracted around 19.3 million visitors in 2017.

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