Hoteliers join mission China

Tourism Ireland announced its intention to double its marketing investment in China, to €1 million, and to also double its marketing team to 12, over the coming months – to grow Chinese visitor numbers to 200,000 by 2025.

The sales mission involved meetings with hundreds of leading Chinese travel agents and tour operators, as well as with key airlines and travel journalists.

In 2018, Ireland welcomed an estimated 100,000 Chinese visitors to the island of Ireland, up 11 per cent on 2017.

Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said: “China is the largest outbound travel market in the world and one that Tourism Ireland is committed to growing over the coming years. In 2018, we welcomed an estimated 100,000 Chinese visitors to the island of Ireland; the introduction of direct flights to Dublin has been a major game-changer and offers a real opportunity. Our aim is to grow Chinese visitor numbers to 200,000 by 2025 and, in particular, to grow the number of high end individual Chinese travellers to the island of Ireland.”