More than 15,000 new tourists are expected for the west and northwest as Ryanair launches three new services from Glasgow, Eindhoven, and Kaunas to Ireland West Airport Knock this week. The launch represents yet another significant milestone for the airport and western region as it provides the first scheduled direct air access to the Dutch and Lithuanian market. It also opens up access to the Benelux region of Europe, which has a population of some 28m people with the new Eindhoven service providing convenient access to Belgium and Luxembourg.
The new services are expected to bring a major tourist boost to the region with more than 15,000 new tourists expected to come to the region. The Great Western Greenway and the many cycling, walking, and climbing routes in the west and northwest are expected to be hugely popular with Dutch tourists in particular, who are renowned for their interest in the outdoors and coastal landscapes. In a further welcome initiative, passengers on the new Glasgow service can avail of free rail travel from Glasgow Prestwick to any destination in Scotland until November 2014.
Welcoming the announcement, Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism, and Sport, Michael Ring, said: “I’m delighted to welcome the launch, by Ryanair today, of three new services from Eindhoven, Kaunas, and Glasgow to Ireland West Airport Knock. I will work with the team in Tourism Ireland in the various overseas markets to ensure we do all we can to promote these new services overseas and in particular to highlight the airport as the premier international western gateway for the Wild Atlantic Way, which has massive potential to bring more visitors and more jobs to rural communities right along the western seaboard.”
Commenting on this week’s announcement, Maria Macken, marketing manager, Ryanair, said: “Ryanair is delighted to launch our 2014 summer schedule from Ireland West Airport Knock with 16 routes, including three new services to Eindhoven, Kaunas, and Glasgow, as well as additional evening services to London Luton and Stansted.”
Joe Gilmore, managing director Ireland West Airport Knock, added: “We are delighted to launch these new services with Ryanair which will provide a major boost for tourism in this region and for the first time connect the airport with key markets in the Benelux region, emerging Baltic states and Eastern European markets. As the main international western gateway for the Wild Atlantic Way we would hope tourism providers in the region benefit significantly from these new services. I would also like to thank the Tourism Ireland teams in the various overseas markets both in the UK and Europe for their continued support, and welcome the recent commencement of a major overseas marketing campaign in the Dutch market to promote the west of Ireland and the new Eindhoven service.”
Flights from Ireland West Airport Knock to Eindhoven will operate every Tuesday and Saturday. Flights to Kaunas in Lithuania will operate every Thursday, and flights to Glasgow will operate every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. For further airport information log on to www.irelandwestairport.com; and for information on fares and to book flights log on to www.ryanair.com
