Alison Metcalfe VP ofMarketing,U.S. TourismIreland Limited

Word of mouth plays increasing role in destination selection

As the group travel market continues its slow but steady return to health, what will your destination be doing to remain competitive? With our partners, we continue to invest in face-to-face sales calls, targeted promotions, and educational familiarization vis- its, as well as in providing professional, timely responses to all inquiries.Tourism Ireland has recently launchedanewcampaign under the tagline “Ireland…Connect with Excellence,” with a specific programof activity designed to target the corporate-, association-, and incentive-travel segments.Value on the ground in Ireland has never been better, and this will continue through 2011 and 2012.

What is your destination doing to help planners meet their goals for sustainability and corporate social responsibility? Ireland’s continued investment in state- of-the-art infrastructure and technology has put sustainability at the heart of its strategy. A good example is the opening of the newConvention Centre Dublin in September 2010, recognized as the world’s first carbon-neutral international facility. Severalother key venues inDublin and Belfast have achieved ISO accredi- tation, andmanyhotels and other businesses, including Ireland’s leading DMCs and PCOs, have initiatives to help organizers minimize the environmentalimpact of their meetings and events.

What, in your opinion, will be the top destination- selection criteria for meeting planners during the coming year? Do you expect this to change in 2012? The topdestination-selection criteria will continue to be the right combination of world-class meeting and convention facilities, a good selection of unique venues, quality accommodations, and high-tech professional facilities, along with the assurance that every program detail will be executed with excellence. Acces- sibility and value formoney remain paramount in the decision- making process, and Ireland scores well on both fronts. Ireland enjoys excellent direct air service from seven U.S. gateways to Dublin, Belfast, and Shannon, and also offers international plan-

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ners excellent air connectivity with Great Britain and Europe. Word of mouth and satisfaction levels from other meeting

planners also play an increasing role. In a recent demand sur- vey, 90 percent of international delegates said they would rec- ommend Ireland as a convention destination.

What innovations in the realm of social media/ networking and technology in general will your destination be pursuing in 2011 and going forward? Tourism Ireland has plans in place to launch a new digital-mar- keting strategy in 2011. It will include a strong social-media marketing compo- nent that will facilitate ease of doing busi- ness at the search and planning stage. Central to this strategy is the launch of www.meetinireland.com/ireland, a new website dedicated to the corporate- ß, association-, and incentive-travelsec- tors. Here, planners can access a suite of marketing collateral, including an online photo library; video assets; and assistance with bid documents, VAT refunds, sam- ple programs, and case studies.We will be adding a dedicated digital “toolbox” for each of the three business tourismseg- ments.

How has attendee behavior changed over the past two years? We have not noticed any major behavioral changes. The trend towards shorter stays and increased demand for great value remain. Overall, Ireland enjoys high satisfaction levels across the board, and is fortunate that, as a relatively small island, it is easy for meeting attendees to experience the many unique aspects of visiting Ireland once business is done.

LEADERSHIP PROFILE

THE CENTER CAN HOLD: Ireland’s latest contribution to CSR, Alison Metcalfe said, is the carbon-neutral Convention Centre Dublin.

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