Search Results for 'travel writers'

Tourism Ireland in Germany kicked off its busy programme of promotions for 2015 last week – with a strong presence at CMT (Caravan, Motor and Tourism Fair) in Stuttgart.

Erris is still going wild with delight after the region was named on Saturday by The Irish Times as the nation’s top destination for rugged, unspoilt beauty and adventure.

Tourism Ireland invited a group of top Swiss travel writers to explore Mayo and the Wild Atlantic Way this week. They were here to experience some of what Ireland has to offer, including our newest visitor experience, the Wild Atlantic Way – and to then inspire their readers to come and discover it for themselves.

Fourteen tourism enterprises from Ireland - including Waveline Cruises which is based in Athlone - travelled to Stuttgart recently, to join Tourism Ireland for this year’s CMT (Caravan, Motor, and Tourism) Fair. At the fair, the busy Tourism Ireland stand took first prize for best stand, beating off stiff competition from 2,000 other exhibitors.

In the late 18th and mid 19th centuries, at least 28 German travel writers wrote extensively about Ireland. I’ll tell some of what a few of them had to say in the weeks ahead, but by far the most colourful was Prince Hermann Ludwig Heinrich von Puckler-Muskau. He lived his 86 years to the full. As a dashing cavalry officer he fought against Napoleon until he inherited Muskau Park near Berlin to which he added brilliant landscapes and gardens. He searched for the source of the Nile, and fought off bandits in the deserts of North Africa. He walked through much of Europe, taking notes of his observations all of which were eventually published. In 1814 he visited England and delighted the dandy Prince of Wales by introducing the rectangular monocle. His struggle with the English language caused laughter in high society, and generally he was a source of amusement; but he seemed to have enjoyed himself immensely.*

The tourism drive in the US continues, as top American travel writers came to Ireland last week, to take part in the renowned Travel Classics writers’ conference. As part of the conference, hosted by Tourism Ireland, the journalists enjoyed a fact-finding visit around Ireland, which included some of the wonderful sights and attractions of counties Westmeath, Offaly, and Laois. During their visit, the group enjoyed a cruise on the River Shannon from Athlone, stopping off at Clonmacnoise in Offaly. They also visited the Celtic Roots Studio at Ballinahown and spent the night at the newly-opened Ballyfin hotel in Laois.

Life, customs, and culture in the Claddagh fishing village in the 19th century will be explored in a public talk at the Galway City Museum next week.

Top travel writers from Austria visited Kilkenny last week as part of a fact-finding trip to the southeast. Carefully selected and invited here by Tourism Ireland in Vienna, the journalists’ itinerary was designed by Fáilte Ireland.