Delegation of Irish businesses in Scotland for Celtic Connections festival
Business

Delegation of Irish businesses in Scotland for Celtic Connections festival

A DELEGATION of tourism businesses from the island of Ireland were in Glasgow for the Celtic Connections festival.

The organisations are all taking part in Tourism Ireland’s first Scottish promotion of 2023  – a B2B workshop and networking event with travel professionals from Scotland and the north of England.

Twenty-seven firms – including hotels, visitor attractions and regional tourism organisations – had the opportunity to meet, and do business with, influential tour operators and travel agents, as well Scottish travel and lifestyle journalists.

“This year, Tourism Ireland is continuing to roll out its ‘twinning’ initiative – which involves overseas markets 'twinning' with a specific region or area on the island of Ireland,” the government body confirmed.

“Great Britain is twinned with Donegal and Derry-Londonderry, so a strong delegation of tourism businesses from the North-West helped place a special focus on Donegal and Derry-Londonderry at the workshop, which included highlighting ease of access from Scotland,” they added.

Judith Cassidy, Tourism Ireland’s Acting Head of Great Britain, said of the visit: “We’re really pleased that so many of our tourism partners from the island of Ireland, and particularly from the North-West, have joined us in Glasgow this week, highlighting our tourism offering to the influential tour operators and travel agents in attendance.

“This workshop is a really good opportunity to showcase new experiences and also remind these tour operators and travel agents why Ireland is the ideal choice for their clients for a short break or holiday in 2023.”

Tourism Ireland’s workshop and networking event was timed to coincide with Celtic Connections, Scotland’s premier winter music festival, which kicked off on January 19 and continues until February 5.

Tourism businesses which joined Tourism Ireland at the Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow included Andras Hotels, Armagh City Hotel, Causeway Coastal Route – Shaped by Sea and Stone, City of Derry Airport, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, Hastings Hotels, Irish National Stud & Gardens, Killeavy Castle Estate, Teeling Whiskey Distillery and Titanic Belfast.