Ireland West Airport and Mayo County Council were delighted to welcome a leading delegation from the American-Irish Legislators' Society to the airport recently.
The society is a bi-partisan organization of members of the New York State Legislature, committed to promoting awareness of Irish culture, ties between Ireland and New York, and fellowship among legislators of Irish descent or with an interest in Ireland or the American-Irish community.
The group was given a West of Ireland welcome with servings of local food and tastings from local company ‘The Connacht Whiskey Distillery’. The event also presented a networking opportunity with the group for local tourism and business interests in the region.
The purpose of the visit to the West of Ireland is to further develop relationships with representatives from tourism and trade on both sides of the Atlantic and to seek to explore opportunities to develop air services between the two regions.
Welcoming the group to the West of Ireland, Arthur French, Chairman, Ireland West Airport, said: "We are delighted alongside Mayo County Council to welcome this leading delegation from the American-Irish Legislators Society to the airport.
"I’d like to express our sincere thanks to our International Chairman, Brian O’Dwyer for bringing this group to the West and providing the opportunity to meet with a very influential grouping from the state of New York.
"Strategic alliances and Networking opportunities like this with key legislators from New York are an important part of our ongoing efforts to secure direct access between the West of Ireland and New York."
Speaking on behalf of Mayo County Council, Chief Executive, Peter Hynes, said: "Mayo County Council, alongside Ireland West Airport, were delighted to welcome the American-Irish Society to Mayo. To have a group from the New York State Legislature visit Mayo shows the commitment to promoting the West of Ireland on the other side of the Atlantic.
"Developing Tourism and Trade relationships with North America is an ongoing goal of Mayo County Council and the delegation's visit affords the opportunity to create new relationships and further develop existing ones."
