Sales mission to China for North Coast Tourism partners

The week-long sales promotion from 15 to 19 September, organised by Tourism Ireland, will involve workshops, presentations and

networking events in three major cities - Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Alexandra Mehaffy, National Trust Tourism Development Manager for the Giant’s Causeway and North Coast, and Ann Donaghy, General Manager of Ramada Hotel Portrush will be participating in the event along with 16 other representatives from attractions, hotel groups, transport providers and luxury shopping outlets from all over Ireland.

China has become the world’s largest outbound tourism market since 2012 and outbound tourist numbers are expected to reach 112 million in 2014.

The aim of the sales mission is to increase awareness of Ireland as a great holiday destination.

It also aims to present an opportunity for Irish trade to meet and do business with more than 300 tour operators and travel agents and encourage them to include Ireland in their 2015 programmes and brochures.

Alexandra Mehaffy, National Trust Tourism Development Manager commented: “The National Trust is delighted to be participating in Tourism Ireland’s Sales Mission to China.

“We look forward to strengthening our contacts and building relationships with the Chinese travel trade.

“We have been welcoming an increasing number of Chinese visitors to the Giant’s Causeway World Heritage Site in recent years and notably over the Chinese New Year Festival period.

“Chinese visitors at the Giant’s Causeway are able to hear the stories and mystery of the amazing Causeway landscape explained to them in Mandarin with the assistance of state of the art audio-guide interpretation and a Visitor welcome map also in Mandarin.

“With the strong support of the Tourism Ireland team on this sales mission, we hope to build on our existing business links with the Chinese travel trade and encourage more visitors to explore our beautiful North Coast.”

As well as the delegation from the North Coast, the 2014 sales mission to China has representatives attending from other areas and attractions of Northern Ireland including Belfast and Fermanagh Lakelands.

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