Travelbiz E-Zine
21
February
2024

Dublin T2 Arrivals welcomes ✈☘️ Aer Lingus Taste of America partners.

Travel Trade members arrived in great numbers for day two (T2) of the Taste of America Aer Lingus Trade Support Roadshow in Dublin’s Raddison Blue Hotel. Travelbiz was there following last nights great event in Belfast with Jenny Rafter and Ivan Beacom from Aer Lingus supported by their amazing team of Interns.

The show would not be possible without the support of our valued trade partners from the USA who engaged full on with retail and wholesale members of the trade before giving away some amazing prizes in Conjunction with Aer Lingus (Full details of all the amazing prizes and winners will appear in our Trade Partners Update this week) www.travelbiz.ie

Sarah Beckwith, Trade Manager for Brand USA UK and Ireland and Holly Jordan, Trade Director for Brand USA UK and Ireland, delivered some really good news for the Irish travel trade in relation to  traffice from Ireland  to the USA.

Ireland remained in the top 20 overseas markets for visitation into the US throughout 2023 finishing the year as the 14th highest in terms of overseas arrivals. That’s fantastic news for the trade in Ireland as we also recorded the highest percentage increase on January 2019 arrivals in January 2024 within the UK and European markets, showing really strong signs of a positive recovery. Ireland’s performance in January 2024 compared with 2019 (pre pandemic) is up by just under 9% and verses end of January 2023 up by over 23%!!

At the end of 2023 Ireland ranked 14th worldwide for visitation to the US with a total number of passengers of 454,988 and when you compare that to end of year 2019 (pre pandemic) Ireland’s figure was 520,692 so we are almost back to pre-pandemic levels and when the increase already recorded in January 2024 is taken into account, Ireland is well on the way to exceeding that figure which is a great result.

Our USA Taste of America Partners provided amazing prizes on the night including.

  • Aer Lingus Dublin to Cleveland x 2 seats plus hotel and attractions in Cleveland courtesy of Destination Cleveland and Aer Lingus. Winner Rachael Mcanaspie (Tropical Sky)

  • Aer Lingus Dublin to Minneapolis x 2 seats with hotel and attractions courtesy of Bloomington, Mall of America and Aer Lingus.Winner Mairead Keegan (Click&Go)

  • Aer Lingus Dublin to Orlando x 2 seats with villa accommodation courtesy of visit central Florida and Aer Lingus. (John Cassidy Travel)

Retail and wholesale partners also checked in and departed Dublin with an array of prizes from our USA Partners including:

Dublin airport – hamper

Universal Orlando – goody bag

Visit Orlando- A place on their upcoming fam trip to Orlando Florida.

Miami – Sunshine Goody bag

Great Lakes – Goody hamper.

Destination New England – Goody bag.

California- Californian Goody Bag.

Brand USA – A €50 BT voucher

Illinois- Illinois Goody Bag.

Philadelphia- We Love Philadelphia and Countryside of Philadelphia bag

Denver – A very special Denver Backpack.

NYS – A much sought after New York State Goody Bag.

A big shout of thanks to all our USA partners including Dublin Airport and Brand USA for your amazing support as we all move to Limerick where the trade will have the opportunity to connect and interact with our USA from :

✈🍀Boston (BOS),✈🍀Destination New England (Connecticut and New Hampshire) (BOS/BDL/NYC) ✈🍀New York State (and Dutchess County) (NYC), ✈🍀Philadelphia & the Countryside of Philadelphia (PHL), ✈🍀Cleveland (CLE), ✈🍀Denver/Colorado (DEN), ✈🍀Great Lakes USA (ORD, CLE, MSP), ✈🍀Bloomington (& Mall of America) (MSP), ✈🍀Miami (MIA), ✈🍀Central Florida (MCO), ✈🍀Kissimmee (MCO), ✈🍀Orlando (MCO), ✈🍀Orlando and Universal Orlando (MCO) , ✈🍀Brand USA. ✈🍀California (LAX/SFO), ✈🍀San Francisco (SFO), ✈🍀Seattle & Port of Seattle (SEA) and ✈🍀Illinois (ORD).

Subscribe to our E-Zine

    More

    from latest edition

    Royal Caribbean’s chartered flight from Belfast to Bologna returns for summer 2026
    30th July 2025

    Royal Caribbean’s chartered flight from Belfast to Bologna returns for summer 2026

    For summer 2026, Royal Caribbean is delighted to announce the return of the popular charter flight from Belfast to Bologna – running exclusively for Royal Caribbean guests from May until October...

    Read more
    CLIA unveils Cruise Week 2025 plans
    30th July 2025

    CLIA unveils Cruise Week 2025 plans

    Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) UK & Ireland has revealed its plans for Cruise Week 2025, which will take place from Monday 15 – Sunday 21 September. The annual, trade-focused even...

    Read more
    Halloween Horror Nights Unleashes a Double Dose of Dread
    29th July 2025

    Halloween Horror Nights Unleashes a Double Dose of Dread

    Halloween Horror Nights awakens two iconic franchises in all-new terrifying haunted houses inspired by the blockbuster film, “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” and WWE’s legendary The Wyatt Sicks. The h...

    Read more
    IAA commences Dublin Airport charges determination process
    29th July 2025

    IAA commences Dublin Airport charges determination process

    The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) today commences the process for making the next Dublin Airport charges determination, with the publication of the first substantive consultation papers.

    Read more
    Busiest summer continues with over 500,000 forecasted at Dublin Airport over Bank Holiday weekend
    29th July 2025

    Busiest summer continues with over 500,000 forecasted at Dublin Airport over Bank Holiday weekend

    More than half a million passengers are forecast to travel through Dublin Airport over the upcoming August bank holiday weekend, making it one of the busiest weekends in the airport's 85 year hi...

    Read more
    Riviera Travel Appoints Long Haul Touring Champion to Drive Growth
    29th July 2025

    Riviera Travel Appoints Long Haul Touring Champion to Drive Growth

    Riviera Travel has appointed Lloyd Morris as its new Long Haul Champion, reinforcing the business’s strategic focus on long haul touring as a major growth area for the future, a responsibility h...

    Read more