Clare businesses attend international luxury travel market in Cannes
Tourism Ireland unveils new luxury proposition for luxury travel trade Ireland
TOURISM businesses from Ireland joined Tourism Ireland in Cannes in December for the annual International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) – including Shannon-based By Appointment DMC and Dromoland Castle.
ILTM is an invitation-only event for the global luxury travel industry – attracting more than 1,800 influential luxury travel buyers and decision-makers who design unique, luxury travel itineraries for their high net-worth international clients, from around 95 different countries.
26 Irish businesses attended in total, the largest-ever delegation of partners from Ireland to attend this event.
Luxury travel editors and journalists from international publications were also in attendance.
Louise Finnegan, Tourism Ireland’s acting central marketing director, said: "This year, we saw the largest-ever participation of luxury tourism providers from Ireland at ILTM in Cannes."
"The event was an excellent opportunity to showcase the superb luxury tourism offering right around Ireland – from our boutique hotels, castles and luxury resorts to our rich culture and heritage and not forgetting our world-class golf and superb culinary scene.
"The format of one-to-one appointments allowed our partners from Ireland to network and do business with new and established luxury travel buyers from around the world – ensuring Ireland is ‘top of mind’ for those buyers in 2024 when recommending destinations to their clients," Louise said.
The four-day event – which took place at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes – involved a programme of bespoke one-to-one appointments and networking sessions and was an excellent opportunity for the tourism businesses from Ireland to meet, and do business with, luxury travel buyers and journalists.
"Tourism Ireland was delighted to unveil our new proposition for the luxury travel trade – ‘Ireland, where luxury comes naturally’," Louise continued.
"Ireland is a destination where luxury and splendour come naturally – in our rich green hills, warmth of welcome and age-old culture of hospitality, as well as the wealth of our natural produce. Our message is that Ireland is the perfect place for visitors to refuel, revive and fill their hearts."