Wednesday, 22nd November 2006

IRELAND’S LARGEST TOURIST ACCOMMODATION GUIDE
REACHES RECORD 5 MILLION READERS

Whilst, in the main, domestic and foreign visitors to Ireland use the internet to book accommodation, they still like to make direct contact with accommodation providers before completing the booking process, new research undertaken by the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) reveals. The findings were announced today at the launch of the IHF’s international marketing drive for 2007 and the publication of its 2007 Be Our Guest Guide by Mr. John O’Donoghue, T.D., Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism. The guide is Ireland’s largest tourist accommodation listing, featuring 1,000 hotels and guesthouses from every county. It is mirrored online by the Irelandhotels.com website, which, in addition, offers visitors online reservation facilities and further information on hotels and guesthouses across all price ranges. The guide, now in its 20th edition, has over the years, been a resource to over 5 million readers.  The printed guide is distributed in over 22 countries worldwide and this reach is augmented by in excess of one million online visitors a year.

According to Annette Devine, President, IHF there has been a notable recovery in Ireland’s key tourism markets this year with US visitors increasing by 11% and British visitors growing by 6.5%. However, the IHF emphasised that Ireland needs to be cleverly promoted abroad to further increase the level of overseas visitors holidaying in Ireland. “Ireland has a wealth of offerings which closely match the international visitor trends towards activity based holidays. These include golf, walking, angling, equestrian, cycling and cultural breaks,” she stated.

The Be Our Guest Guide is renowned as the most comprehensive guide on Irish accommodation with 1,000 properties featured ranging from small family run guesthouses through to leading five star hotels.  It is a key marketing tool in promoting Ireland both at home and abroad, and is contributing to securing over 7 million overseas visitors to Ireland in 2006.

Sponsored by Diageo Ireland, the 2007 guide highlights the quality of activity based holidays including spa and leisure, golfing and angling. With a growing market for specialist spa and leisure breaks, there are now 152 properties offering such products in the guide. These are featured in a ‘Let us pamper you, while you stay’ section. There is also a ‘conference’ section which contains details of 357 properties with designated conference facilities targeted at business tourism.  Some 346 hotels and guesthouses are listed as offering golf to their guests either on site or in arrangement with local golf courses.

Speaking at the launch of the 2007 Be Our Guest Guide, Mr. John O’Donoghue, T.D. said; “For the owners of almost 1,000 properties listed, the Be Our Guest Guide represents a marketing tool of the highest importance. The 500 pages of this valuable resource contains a wealth of information on the listed hotels and guesthouses, including identification of Irish Hotels Federation membership and participation in the IHF Quality Employer programme. Entries also include details of Fáilte Ireland classification, while the inclusion of photographs of owners and managers adds a personal touch, which conveys a welcoming message to visitors.  I offer my sincere congratulations to the Irish Hotels Federation, President Annette Devine, Chief Executive John Power, the members and staff, on the production of this 20th Be Our Guest Guide, which will bring a message of welcome and a rich store of information to visitors in Ireland and all over the world.”

According to Dennis Markey, Trade Relations Director, Diageo Ireland; ”Diageo are delighted to be associated with the Be Our Guest Guide which is recognised as Ireland’s most comprehensive accommodation listing. Guinness is an iconic global brand whose strong heritage is immediately synonymous with Ireland’s tourism offering. Diageo are committed to encouraging tourists to come to Ireland and entertaining them whilst here through our programme of festival sponsorships.”

Annette Devine, President of the IHF, concludes, “We have witnessed an increase of 10.6% in the number of overseas visitors to Ireland during the first 9 months of this year, with a record number of visitors for the months of August and September. While Ireland’s key tourism markets, the US and Britain, are showing signs of substantial recovery we must continue to stimulate these valuable markets by offering a quality tourism product tailored to the needs and interests of our visitors.  The 2007 Be Our Guest Guide, combined with the official IHF website Irelandhotels.com, is a key element of our marketing strategy.”

The guide has been produced annually since 1986 and will be distributed in the domestic market by Fáilte Ireland, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and the Regional Tourism Authorities.  Tourism Ireland will distribute the guide in the overseas markets and it is available through travel agents in Ireland, the UK, Continental Europe and North America. The guide is also distributed through car hire companies, leading book stores, tour operators, every tourist information office in the country and online at www.irelandhotels.com.

ENDS

FOR INFORMATION:
Siobhan Molloy / Avril Collins                          Tel: 01 6760168
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