Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring joined Tourism Ireland and 70 tourism enterprises from across the island of Ireland at World Travel Market (WTM ) in London on Monday heralding the beginning of the promotional drive for the 2014 season.
Now in its 34th year, World Travel Market is the largest B2B event in the global travel and tourism calendar, with almost 50,000 representatives of the travel industry from around the world and 3,000 influential international media in attendance. According to the organisers of WTM, more than £1.8 billion’s worth of business was transacted at the event in 2012. This year, a record 70 Irish tourism enterprises – including hotels, visitor attractions, ferry companies, coach hire companies, incoming tour operators, hostels and activity providers – are exhibiting at the Tourism Ireland stand. They will engage in thousands of meetings with British and international tour operators over the next four days, as they network, negotiate and exchange vital contracts for 2014.
Speaking in London at WTM, Minister Ring said: “I am delighted to be here again, promoting Ireland as a great place to visit at the World Travel Market. The great success of The Gathering this year has reminded the world of the warmth and welcome of Irish people, at home and abroad. Next year we will be reminding the world of just how magnificent our scenic coastline is, with the official launch of the Wild Atlantic Way – and also telling them of all the old and new things to do and see along the way.”
