Tourism Ireland launches 2024 marketing plan

Tourism Ireland launched details of its marketing strategy and plans to promote Northern Ireland overseas in 2024, at a recent event attended by hundreds of tourism industry leaders from around Northern Ireland.  

Tourism Ireland aims to increase the economic value of overseas tourism to Northern Ireland, growing revenue by an average +6.5% per year over the next six years to 2030.  

This year, Tourism Ireland will roll out an extensive and targeted programme of activity with a marketing budget of £61 million. 

Tourism Ireland believes that 2024 offers significant opportunity for overseas tourism. Northern Ireland has an award-winning tourism product, a committed industry and there are excellent relationships in place with the international travel trade. There are opportunities to grow revenue, especially outside of the peak season when there is capacity ready to be filled. And there are lots of exciting and inspiring stories to tell potential overseas visitors – particularly about off-season events such as Halloween, which originated on the island of Ireland around 2,000 years ago. 

Tourism Ireland will play a vital role in 2024 to meet these opportunities. Using data-driven marketing, the organisation will remain nimble, serving the right message to the right audience at the right time – thus stimulating demand from high value overseas tourists and matching demand to supply. Tourism Ireland will focus on tourists with ‘value adding tourism traits’ i.e., those people who have funds to travel, who prize memorable experiences and tend to travel around regions and across seasons.   

Alice Mansergh, Chief Executive Designate of Tourism Ireland, said: “2023 was the first full year of trading for tourism since the pandemic. Tourism Ireland was active throughout the year, with an extensive and targeted programme of activity marketing Northern Ireland around the world. 

“In 2024, our aim is to increase the value of overseas tourism to Northern Ireland, sustainably supporting economies, communities and the environment. We will do so by inspiring overseas visitors and strengthening strategic partnerships. Our message is that Northern Ireland and the island of Ireland have so much to offer across regions and seasons. We will be showcasing iconic reasons to travel here, expanding people’s bucket lists from best-known spots to our hidden gems. It’s an exciting year ahead, particularly with Belfast 2024 providing Tourism Ireland with another great hook to promote Northern Ireland. 

“Whilst there is positive trading post-Covid, we know the recovery in our industry is not evenly spread and tourism continues to face headwinds. Tourism Ireland will remain flexible and agile to face the changing environment of the future. We will work to mitigate any challenges as we shape demand to fill available capacity across the island and throughout the year. Through enhanced consumer targeting and messaging, we will win the hearts and minds of potential overseas visitors and grow the value of overseas tourism. 

“Our strong partnership with Tourism NI and Fáilte Ireland is foundational, pairing product development with our overseas marketing and collaborating on key projects and activities like Home of Halloween, Business Events and sustainability certification.”