11 November 2015
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
The Cork Convention Bureau, along with seventeen (17) other Irish tourism businesses, took part in a ‘Meet in Ireland’ workshop and networking event in Munich – to highlight the island of Ireland as a world-class conference and business tourism destination.
At the event, the Irish delegation had the opportunity to meet and do business with around 50 senior representatives of companies who are based in southern Germany and involved in organising international conferences, meetings and large-scale incentive events around the world for their clients. Guests enjoyed a ‘taste of Ireland’, as Limerick-born chef Shane McMahon, now based in Munich, did a cookery demo at the event.
Business tourism is the most lucrative form of tourism, with visitors travelling here for business purposes spending about 2.5 times more than the average visitor.
Zoë Redmond, Tourism Ireland’s manager for Central Europe, said: “We are delighted that so many of these influential German business tourism buyers have taken the time to meet with our Irish tourism partners, to hear about some of the superb facilities we have to offer. Business tourism is an important, high yield sector and Tourism Ireland has a busy programme of promotional activity in place to grow this type of tourism.
“Germany is our third-largest source of visitors and 2015 looks set to be another record year for German visitor numbers to Ireland, with the latest CSO figures showing an increase of +13% for July to September.”
PIC SHOWS: Christian Schmelter, Tifco Hotels Ireland; Anja Dickmann-Schüler, Advantage ico; Jane Balfe, BrookLodge Hotel & Macreddin Village; John Callely, Odyssey International; Stefan Schoewel, The K Club; Sharon Joyce, O’Callaghan Hotels; Steve Cox, Cork Convention Bureau; Sophie Tobin, The Cliff House Hotel; Éilis Baselmans, Killashee House Hotel; Deirdre O’Brien, Powerscourt Hotel; Irish chef Shane McMahon (based in Munich); Michelle Blake, The Marker Hotel, Dublin; Denise Quinn, Tourism Ireland; Eimear Winters, Castle Leslie Estate; Daniel Farrell, Tourism Ireland; Úna Miley, A Touch of Ireland; Götz Heberlein, Aer Lingus; Eva Schmid, The Europe Hotel and Resort; Karen Kelly, Druids Glen Resort; Michelle Murphy, Kerry Convention Bureau; and Seán Carney, Lough Eske Castle, at the ‘Meet in Ireland’ event in Munich.
