Louth delegation flies the flag at St Patrick’s Day events in New York and Canada
Louth was well represented on the international stage during St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, with a delegation of Louth County Council officials and councillors taking part in celebrations in New York and Canada.
The annual visit to New York came at the invitation of the County Louth Society of New York, and saw council management and elected representatives meeting with senior executives from Tourism Ireland to discuss opportunities for promoting the county abroad.
A delegation from Louth also travelled to Toronto, where they met with Tourism Ireland’s Canada team.
Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland’s Head of North America, said the organisation was pleased to host the Louth representatives.
“We were delighted to meet with the representatives of Louth County Council and to brief them about the extensive promotional programme we are undertaking in the United States this year,” she said. “The US remains an extremely important market for tourism to Ireland – in terms of revenue and visitor numbers. Visitors from the United States tend to stay longer, spend more and tour extensively around our regions.”
She added that St Patrick’s Day continues to play a crucial role in raising Ireland’s visibility abroad.
“St Patrick’s Day offers a unique opportunity for tourism to Ireland,” she said. “It attracts visitors at this time of year and helps tee up bookings for the season ahead through the heightened profile created. Tourism Ireland in the United States undertook a major programme of media, travel trade and consumer promotions to capitalise on Ireland’s heightened profile around St Patrick’s Day.
“Our aim is to remind American holidaymakers that Ireland offers the warmest of welcomes and great fun, as well as wonderful scenery and heritage. We are taking every opportunity to capitalise on Ireland’s heightened profile around this St Patrick’s Day period.”
Coverage of the New York parade alone reached an audience of around 8 million viewers, generating valuable publicity for Irish destinations. The live broadcast on NBC featured pre‑recorded segments produced by NBC’s Mike Mathis, showcasing Irish culture, heritage and scenery to viewers across the United States.