VANCOUVER — More than 250 travel agents in B.C. and Alberta are taking part in Tourism Ireland’s Western Canada sales mission this week.

Tourism Ireland is hosting a delegation of tourism enterprises from Ireland and Canada for the targeted sales mission in Vancouver, Langley, Edmonton and Calgary.

For Tourism Ireland, the sales missions offer a chance to highlight new and existing product on the island of Ireland to travel agents, ensuring they are enthusiastic and equipped to sell the destination to their clients.

Tourism Ireland sees Western Canada as an important source of visitors for Ireland, and wants to highlight ease of access to the destination, with direct flights from Vancouver and Calgary.

Tourism Ireland is also debuting a new ‘twinning’ initiative this year, which will see each overseas market ‘twinning’ with a specific region in Ireland. Canada will twin with the counties of Wicklow, Wexford, Waterford and Kilkenny, located in Ireland’s Ancient East.

“Canadians are highly valued in terms of holiday visitors and Canada is Tourism Ireland’s fifth largest source market for holiday revenue,” says Dana Welch, Manager, Tourism Ireland, Canada. “Our aim is to continue to grow Canadian visitor numbers with our extensive program of high impact campaigns and promotions.”

Welch adds: “Our sales mission to British Columbia and Alberta this week provides an excellent platform to meet with, and educate, agents as well as kickstart our promotional efforts highlighting the many great things to see and do around the island of Ireland.

“We really enjoy this opportunity to get out and meet with the agents and thank our travel trade partners across Canada – who continue to play a very important role in helping us to continue to grow visitor numbers to Ireland.”

Last year Ireland welcomed close to 11.2 million overseas visitors, delivering revenue of almost 5.8 billion euros.