A VIEW FROM afar

Based in Toronto, Dublin-born Sandra Moffatt is Market Manager for Canada at Tourism Ireland. Here, she shares her personal tips when planning an Irish holiday and her insight on what draws Canadian visitors in search of a one-of-a-kind experience.

How

is Irish tourism from Canada looking for 2023?

Positive! Canadians are eager and enthusiastic to travel again; 248,000 Canadian holidaymakers visited the island of Ireland in 2019. Our ambition is to rebuild sustainable tourism growth in 2023 and we’re tracking well for a successful year, with strong demand from across the country, supported by direct access links in our four gateways: Toronto (year-round), Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver (seasonal).

What are Canadian tourists looking for in an Irish holiday?

Canadian travellers are looking for unique, immersive cultural experiences, and Ireland has that in spades. As Canada is a comparatively young country, our ancient history is really appealing to this market; visitors are amazed by sites like Brú na Bóinne and Newgrange, which are older than Stonehenge and the pyramids of Giza. An overnight stay in an Irish castle is also on a lot of travellers’ bucket lists. Over 4.5 million Canadians claim Irish heritage, so many will travel to uncover their ancestry to places like EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum or avail of services such as The Shelbourne’s genealogy butler. Hassle-free travel is important, especially post-pandemic, and Ireland has proximity in its favour; it takes nearly as long to fly from Vancouver to Toronto as it does from Toronto to Dublin! Once there, it’s so easy to get around.

around a town, maybe get a little lost – there will always be a friendly face to give you directions – and just soak in the experience. It’s how you’ll see the best of our country.

What’s on your must-do list when you travel home?

I’m very fortunate to be in a position to travel to Ireland regularly with my job. As a Dubliner, I land right in the heart of home. I’ll always make time for a stop in a speakeasy in town with friends; and fish ‘n’ chips and a ‘99’ after hiking the Howth Cliff Walk is a must – no matter what the weather! What continues to surprise me about Dublin is that no matter how often I visit, there’s always something new to check out, so I also try and squeeze in a new experience, café or restaurant… All in the name of research, of course!

Are there any regions you’d like to explore more?

I love the remote beauty of Donegal, but have only briefly transited through since I was a teenager so would love to spend more time there surfing, hiking and getting to know the area better.

What do you miss most about Ireland?

The people. There’s nowhere like Ireland for the craic: there’s a sharp humour and wonderful warmth that I haven’t found anywhere else in the world.

What’s life like for you in Canada?

and mental wellness by the majority of employers.

What led you to your current role?

I began my career working in front of house roles in Dublin Tourism during university, before moving to Fáilte Ireland HQ on their digital marketing team. I loved the work and the people but craved travel and believed I’d benefit from private sector experience, so I took a career break to avail of the International Experience Canada (IEC) visa and moved to Toronto. Here, I led some major projects in a digital media agency for over three years before joining the Tourism Ireland team in Canada in 2018. I was appointed market manager in 2020 and haven’t looked back.

What do you love most about your job?

What

are your personal recommendations for visitors heading to Ireland?

Recommendations will always change depending on who I’m speaking with; that’s the great thing about travel – it’s incredibly personal. As a rule, I’d always encourage visitors to get off the beaten track. I’m a big fan of the Aran Islands so that’s often top of my list and driving the Causeway Coastal Route (making lots of stops along the way) remains one of the most memorable trips I’ve taken. Most importantly, I always encourage travellers to slow down the pace. While Ireland is small and it’s easy to pack a lot in and see the hotspots, you risk missing the best moments rushing to the “next stop”. Amble

There are such distinct seasons in Canada compared to Ireland and that’s the biggest difference for me. There’s something about it that inspires you to embrace the weather and make the most of it, from paddle boarding and biking in summer to skating and snowboarding in winter. The lifestyle is very active, and the population very multicultural, which creates a lot of opportunity to try new things and meet new people. Think of any hobby under the sun and there’s probably the option to try it out somewhere nearby. From a work perspective, we get fewer holidays in Canada (statutory is ten days) but overall work-life balance and culture is positive, with remote work and reduced summer hours common in many companies. Health insurance and benefits are also excellent here, with coverage provided for physical

It is incredibly varied. From strategic planning and data-driven research to hosting events, no two days are the same. This is also an industry built on partnerships, and nurturing connections is imperative to success. The industry is incredibly supportive of one another and makes even the most challenging times – such as those we’ve seen in recent years – enjoyable.

What would surprise people most about your day-to-day work?

We do not actually sell any travel, which often surprises people. Our role is to support Irish employment and economic growth. We work with our partners –airlines, operators and agencies – to both drive demand and facilitate their commercial success. With that comes managing a multitude of partners with different corporate guidelines, structures, processes and perspectives, which keeps things interesting. Each international market also has its own distinct nuances and ways of doing business – which makes an in-market team essential to success.