DUBLIN IS being promoted as a place for “fun and craic” in a new €1 million campaign aimed at British tourists.
Minister for Tourism Mary Hanafin said the radio and online campaign by Tourism Ireland would be seen by an audience of over 12 million and would run into the autumn.
It will also involve direct marketing and social media initiatives, as well as promotions with tour operators and air and sea carriers.
The radio advertisements will be heard by 11.5 million potential holidaymakers in Britain.
The campaign capitalises on the accolade of ‘Europe’s Friendliest City’, awarded to Dublin for the last two years by users of the travel website TripAdvisor.
It involves a tongue-in-cheek apology to cities such as Rome and Barcelona for beating them in the friendliness stakes.
Ms Hanafin highlighted the importance of the British market and said Dublin would be intensively promoted to the British holidaymaker in the coming months.
Britain is the largest single source market for visitors to the island of Ireland and provides more than half of all visitors to the island.
Frank Magee of Dublin Tourism said the capital city attracted 1.5 million visitors from Britain last year, which resulted in five million bed nights.
He said Ireland was losing its market share in Britain so this campaign was vital to turn things around.
“Dublin has been the driver in Irish tourism, bolstering the Irish figures in recent years and there’s a realisation that if Dublin doesn’t do well, Ireland doesn’t do well,” he said.
“Even in the current climate we are holding our bed occupancy. Dublin can deliver and will deliver,” he said.
