Press Release

LAUNCH OF SPECIAL €1M CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE DUBLIN -

Voted Europe’s Friendliest City

20 July 2010: A special €1 million campaign promoting Dublin in the British market was launched today by Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, Mary Hanafin T.D.

The new campaign, which is being rolled out from this week by Tourism Ireland in Great Britain, will be seen by an audience of over 12 million and will run into the autumn. The campaign is all about the fun and ‘craic’ that British visitors will experience when they come to Dublin. It is capitalising on the accolade of ‘Europe’s Friendliest City’, awarded to Dublin for the last two years running by users of the popular travel website TripAdvisor.

The intensive programme of marketing activity over the coming weeks will emphasise the warm and friendly welcome that awaits visitors to the city. It will run on radio, and online on key websites, and will also involve direct marketing and social media initiatives, as well as co-operative promotions with tour operators and air and sea carriers. Radio ads will be heard by 11.5 million potential holidaymakers around Britain, with a tongue-in-cheek apology to other popular European cities (including Rome, Barcelona and Paris) for beating them in the friendliness stakes! Tourism Ireland’s 20,000 Facebook fans will also be used to spread the message. And online direct marketing messages will be sent to over 1.3 million known city break enthusiasts around Britain.

Minister for Tourism, Mary Hanafin T.D., said: “Dublin has consistently been voted Europe’s friendliest city by tourists who have enjoyed the warmth of the welcome they received here, while they experienced all the fun and attractions that this vibrant city has to offer. The city has great links by air and sea for people travelling from Britain and despite its nearness in proximity, there is a world of difference waiting to be discovered by visitors to Dublin. Whether it is our history and culture or the variety of food on offer, the lively nightlife and the shopping experience, there is something to suit all tastes and budgets. Tourists can explore the heritage town of Dalkey right up to the delicious seafood available in a fishing village like Howth and everything in between that Dublin has to offer. We are looking to intensively promote Dublin to the British holidaymaker in the coming months and this campaign will highlight the great experience waiting for them.”

Niall Gibbons, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, said: “Again and again, our research shows us that the friendliness of our people is one of our unique selling points. It is the warm welcome and the ‘craic’ here that resonates with potential holidaymakers overseas. We want to capitalise on that with our new Dublin campaign. The warm welcome extended to visitors who come to Dublin makes the city a great choice for a short break.

“While the number of British people travelling abroad – to all destinations – has been impacted by the economic downturn, GB remains the largest and most important market for tourism to the island of Ireland. We know that hundreds of thousands of British people will take a short break or holiday between now and the end of the year; Tourism Ireland aims to win as much of that business as possible.”

The new Dublin campaign comes on top of other extensive promotional campaigns which are already in full swing – in GB and other important overseas markets – in the most intensive mid-year marketing drive ever, to capitalise on the later-than-ever booking pattern.

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