The Gathering initiative in 2013 was a success. Figures released by Failte Ireland showed that project delivered at least 250,000 to 275,000 extra tourists in 2013 that would not have visited Ireland.
POST-GATHERING
So how did tourism chiefs follow up on The Gathering? In response to a Dáil question posed by Deputy Sandra McLellan on 17th December 2013, the Minister for Tourism confirmed that “Tourism Ireland is currently finalising its three year Corporate Plan to cover the 2014 -2017 period and its Business Plan for 2014”.
After trawling through the internet the only strategies I could find were the Make Ireland Jump Out campaign which hoped to target new audiences in the US, the on-going Ireland Reaching Out genealogy programme, and Italian Strategy for Growth 2013-2015, a self-explanatory strategy regarding Italian tourists.
TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGIES
Kerry TD Brendan Griffin suggested via Twitter that 2015 be designated the Year of the Home Gathering which he describes as “a huge push to encourage Irish people to holiday in Ireland”. I responded by suggesting an increased marketing drive to attract tourists from the economically-vibrant BRIC countries who apparently consider Ireland exotic.
Ireland should have capitalised on the huge media coverage in China surrounding celebrity couple Zhao Ruo Hong and Zhao Yan who chose Ireland as their honeymoon destination in 2012. Yet it took several years after this to put in place a direct flight between Ireland and China.
My second suggestion to Deputy Griffin was to market Ireland to tourists from Scandinavian countries as their high cost of living would give them greater spending power.
But I have a third potential tourism strategy which couldn’t possibly be explained in Twitter’s 140 character limitation. I discussed Deputy Griffin’s proposal with friends and acquaintances and all were delighted to see such a strategy being proposed but not all would buy into it for meteorological reasons.
Ireland is a very scenic country with a rich culture and heritage. Unfortunately, Ireland is located on the wettest and windiest side of Europe and for many Irish people the need for Vitamin D overrides the patriotic duty to holiday at home. To compensate, I wear the green jersey abroad selling Ireland, more specifically Kerry, to locals and other tourists at holiday destinations who practice their English language skills on me.
For a few years after the 2008 recession, I noticed that Ireland’s reputation abroad nose-dived most notably amongst Germans, Europe’s largest outbound tourist market. My observations were reflected in an article by The Irish Times. So I spend most of my language classes abroad addressing misconceptions and defending the decent, honest people of Ireland. I then move on to the business of selling Kerry as a tourist destination. Tourism is an important industry to my home county.
TOURISM AMBASSADOR ABROAD
And here’s where the tourism agencies could help. Instead of drawing maps on the back of beer mats and napkins, my sales pitch could be enhanced with the help of an official tourism brochure or app.
One of the key findings of the Final Report of The Gathering was that “The power of the ‘personal invitation’ from people in Ireland to friends, relatives and affinity groups abroad should continue to be harnessed and developed”.
What I’m suggesting is that a type of Tourism Ambassador Abroad voluntary programme be put in place for people in Ireland travelling abroad which would be of both benefit to the ambassador and the inbound tourist. Each volunteer would undergo an application and brief training process and be assigned a number/code.
When disseminating information abroad, the volunteer could either write their volunteer number/code on the brochure or generate an email to the potential tourist via the app. When the potential tourist downloads the app from the link in the email, the Tourism Ambassador is automatically linked to that tourist for future commission.
Should the potential tourist visit Ireland, they could avail of discounts from participating shops, restaurants etc listed on the official programme website/app, quoting the number of their volunteer Tourist Ambassador at each transaction. The Tourism Ambassador could then avail of discounts locally in Ireland or simply get paid commission based on the number of tourists they “invited” to Ireland.
Brochures disseminated abroad would have to be bilingual: translated into the language of the destination along with being in English. The app could automatically translate into the potential tourists’ language and would be the preferred option for this scheme.
While I would be interested in promoting Kerry, other volunteers may wish to promote regions, provinces or Ireland in general. Perhaps niche market brochures could be produced for volunteers travelling to specific events. I would suggest getting Ryanair on board in some way. As Europe’s largest airline their influence would be immense.
WHERE DID THE IDEA COME FROM?
Necessity is the mother of invention, and the Tourism Ambassador Abroad idea is something that sprung to mind when I founded this blog in 2013 in the middle of an economic recession. I love blogging about my experiences abroad but I’m equally enthusiastic about promoting my beautiful home county while on tour.
Tourism is an important industry for Kerry and is a forum for showcasing our heritage. By attracting more visitors to the county we not only strengthen our local economy but bolster our community identity by introducing our traditions and culture to a wider audience.
I recognise these benefits for both hosts and visitors and encourage people abroad to visit Kerry. We’re ambassadors for our locality, wherever we travel to.
The Tourism Ambassador Abroad idea may be whacky but if it has the potential to bring extra revenue into the country then it may be worth a try if only on a trial basis. I’ll be the first to volunteer, or be a guinea pig for a trial programme. Ireland is a worthwhile destination with a lot to offer and I will gladly shout that from the roof tops.
Arrivals Hall 