As the boom of the races fades for another year, a group of leading journalists from India were in Galway this week, invited by Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland, to come and sample the delights of the west.
Their visit included a gourmet lunch at the glamorous g Hotel, an entertaining and informative bus tour of the city, as well as a flight to Inis Mór.
The visitors were given a tour of the island with local guide Michael Hernon.
Jim Paul, Tourism Ireland’s head of new and developing markets said, “Media visits such as these are extremely important to help build awareness of Galway among potential holidaymakers in India.
This visit will result in extensive and positive publicity for Galway and the west across a range of different publications.
“The Indian market offers exciting possibilities for tourism to the island of Ireland in the medium to long term.
“The World Tourism Organisation has forecast that the Asia-Pacific region will be one of the fastest growing regions for outbound travel. Growth in travel from long-haul markets such as India will re-shape the global tourism landscape, with significant implications for tourism to Ireland.”
Tourism Ireland research has shown that the main reason why visitors from new and developing markets such as India wish to visit the country is because of the friendliness of the people, the beauty of the scenery, and the cultural and heritage experiences on offer here.
