TO REGISTER FOR THE VIRTUAL EXPO CLICK HERE.

If and when travel returns to normal, Ireland will be ideally placed to reap the benefits.

“Ireland is very well placed, and we’re seeing strong interest,” Tourism Ireland Canada Manager Sandra Moffatt told TravelPulse Canada Editor in Chief John Kirk during our Live Facebook Chat event on Tuesday. “We have lots of outdoor experiences, and people are really looking for that.”

“There’s a huge, pent-up demand for Ireland,” said Alison Metcalfe, Exec VP for Tourism Ireland. “Some of the things people are looking for in terms of how they want to travel going forward are looking to embrace the great outdoors, open spaces, breathe fresh air, soft adventure, enjoy our great landscapes and heritage. Ireland offers all of that and it’s actually very easy to social distance in Ireland, as it’s all about the outdoors and getting off the beaten track.”

Metcalfe and Moffatt will be busy between now and November 18, which will mark the first day of Tourism Ireland’s virtual travel Expo, which will be conducted on our TravelPulse/travalliance platform. Agents can sign up now on our site and also on Tourism Ireland’s Facebook page for agents.

The virtual show will feature 40 operators from all over Ireland and Northern Ireland. Advisors can set up one-on-one meetings in advance, conduct live video chats, download brochures, mingle with friends in the networking lounge, and just about everything else they can do during a “live” show.

Among those taking part are accommodations, DNC’s and attractions/experiences in Ireland.

They’ll also have live entertainment, a celebrity chef providing a cooking demonstration, a Waterford Crystal expert and someone who can show you how to make the perfect cup of Irish coffee.

On top of all that, agents will be able to win great prizes.

“We’re really excited about it,” said Moffatt. ‘’We want to bring that warm, Irish welcome.”

The main themes for this year’s show are Luxury Travel, Soft Adventure/The Great Outdoors and Small Group/Multigenerational Travel; all markets that Tourism Ireland feels will be important ones when things return to more of a normal state.

Metcalfe said Ireland has taken quick action against COVID-19 and that the Irish people have taken restrictions very seriously. There’s also been a steady decline in new cases.

“We’re looking forward to 2021 with confidence. Our industry also is taking the overseas visitor experience very seriously. In every sector, protocols have been put in place.”

“We hope that all things considered next summer we’ll begin to see some kind of return to sustainable travel,” she said.

Metcalfe said Tourism Ireland isn’t being too aggressive in the market given current travel restrictions. But they’re keeping Ireland top of mind with digital programs and B2B work, and they’re engaging the travel trade with webinars and virtual events like next week’s conference.

It’s not time yet, as restrictions lift “we’ll be ready to flip the switch and I suppose go out with a more aggressive, ‘book now’ travel message.”