Tourism Ireland Travel Trade and Media Lunch

Speech by Michael D. Higgins President of Ireland

The Calyx, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

Friday, 20th October, 2017

Is mór an pléisiúir dom bheith anseo libh inniu i gcathair álainn Sydney.

It is a great pleasure to be here in the wonderful city of Sydney, and to have this opportunity to speak to the representatives of the travel trade and related media of the value we in Ireland attach to tourism exchanges between our two countries.

Australia and Ireland have much in common. As well as our shared history, both of our cultures attach great importance to extending authentic warm hospitality to guests, indeed as I have experienced at first hand on this State Visit. Australian visitors are always very welcome in Ireland, and I know that Irish people in all the generations feel very much at home here.

In Ireland, we are aware of the powerful global reach of tourism, and of its importance to international perceptions of a country. Visitors to Ireland often write of our beautiful landscapes, our rich musical tradition, and the warmth, affability and wit of the Irish people - key attributes that provide memorable encounters and uplifting experiences for visitors from abroad.

We are determined to take great care of this immense resource of esteem the Irish enjoy globally. We are also aware that what we offer tourists is not simply an idealised image of Ireland, or a commodified version of Irishness.

At the heart of any tourist’s best experience lie real encounters. We want people from across the world to come to know us, to continue to visit our island again and again, experiencing the genuine hospitality at the heart of the Irish community. We understand the relationship of the visitor and the visited as quite a moral one, drawing on trust, friendship, and the care of the stranger within an ethic of hospitality.

For generations, Tourism has been part of the fabric of Irish society and, today, it remains at the heart of many communities across the whole island of Ireland. Tourism is a very important part of the Irish economy. It accounts for over 10% of all Irish jobs.

Last year we welcomed over 10 million overseas visitors to our shores – up 9% on 2015. This contributed a very significant €5.3 billion to the Irish economy and helped to support 280,000 jobs. This year looks set to be another great year for travel to Ireland. So, we have a great deal to celebrate today.

President Higgins at a lunch meeting hosted by Tourism Ireland

I am pleased to report that Australia has played an important role in the growth of Irish tourism over the years. Last year alone, we were delighted to welcome almost 230,000 visitors from this part of the world, an increase of over 50% in the last 5 years. Why did they come? Well, for many reasons. Ireland is a wonderful place to start or end a holiday in Europe. Visitors come for the scenery, for our unique and diverse culture but, most of all, they come for the genuinely friendly people, our more relaxed pace of life and the great Irish welcome.

Tourism Ireland continues to work with energy and enthusiasm here in Australia, and in all the key markets, to promote sustainable tourism such as holiday experiences like the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s Ancient East, Dublin – ‘A Breath of Fresh Air’ and Northern Ireland. We are also highlighting how easy it is to get to Ireland this year from this part of the world.

It has never been easier to get to Ireland from any part of the world – but particularly from Australia/New Zealand. There is a growing range of convenient one-stop flight options and many new developments in the pipeline. The expanding services of Emirates Airlines and Etihad Airways have been the catalyst for developments by Qatar Airways and, most recently, the announcement by Cathay Pacific of a new Hong KongDublin service from next June. The continuing expansion in air access augurs well for Ireland’s success as a world-class holiday destination.

One of our most exciting developments of recent years has been the Wild Atlantic Way – a captivating 1,500 mile coastal drive along Ireland’s western seaboard. The aptly-named Wild Atlantic Way offers visitors an opportunity to sample our stunning coastline, while connecting with friendly, welcoming people in unique towns and villages along the way. It is a great way to experience our heritage and culture; to enjoy our great, locally-grown, food and freshly caught seafood. Tourism Ireland is also capitalising on The Skellig Ring’s inclusion on the prestigious Lonely Planet list of top ten places to visit in 2017.

Ireland’s Ancient East offers Australian visitors a great opportunity to experience 5,000 years of history in just 500 miles. It can include visits to historic towns and villages to explore our diverse history from earliest times to the present – including early Christian monasteries, round towers, ancient castles, symbols of our many invasions and their legacy, emigrant ships recreating the condition in which Irish people travelled to the New World. This is all accessible in a very compact part of Ireland that brims with culture, festivals and fun.

Dublin’s unique appeal as a vibrant capital city is bursting with a variety of surprising experiences, cultural institutions with open access, literary heritage and a music-filled ambience, where city living thrives side-byside with the natural outdoors. Dublin can be more than just a city experience – it is so easy to go rambling in the Dublin mountains or sailing or kayaking on the famous, crescent-shaped Dublin Bay.

Northern Ireland is also a must-see for visitors from all over the world, and is especially popular with visitors from Australia and New Zealand. Obviously, there are strong familial ties with the region and its people – as there are with other parts of Ireland - but world-class attractions like the Giant’s Causeway and Titanic Belfast are also on the bucket list.

For golfers, Ireland has truly world-class golf courses where our famous golfers honed their skills – including Rory McIlroy, Padraig Harrington, Shane Lowry, Darren Clarke and many others. Golf in Ireland combines world-class playing experiences with our unique brand of hospitality and welcome.

Ireland is also bidding to stage the world’s biggest Rugby Union tournament, the Rugby World Cup, in 2023, in cooperation with the Northern Ireland Executive. This summer we hosted the 8th Women’s Rugby World Cup, with fixtures in Dublin and Belfast. Teams from all over the world enjoyed the Irish sporting experience, our excellent sporting facilities and our famed welcome. Reaction from the players suggests we delivered the best Women’s Rugby World Cup to date. We hope that will be a good omen for us – and that you’ll be cheering

Once again, I would like to thank you all for coming today. On behalf of the people of Ireland and Tourism Ireland, I would like to thank you for your continuing support in making Ireland in all its diversity known to so many. We look forward to working closely with you during the remainder of 2017 and for many years into the future.

Mar fhocal scoir, is mian liom mo bhuíochas ó chroí a ghabháil libh ar fad as an fáilte a d’fhear sibh romham inniú agus guím gach rath agus beannacht oraibh agus ar bhur gcuid oibre.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.