Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Tourism Ireland is making its presence felt this week at the prestigious ITB Berlin, one of the world’s largest travel trade fairs. The event provides a significant platform for local tourism businesses from Northern Ireland and the entire island of Ireland to engage directly with international tour operators. With the aim of expanding Ireland’s presence in the important German tourism market, the initiative is being supported by Dr. Caoimhe Archibald, the Economy Minister, who is lending her backing to the Irish delegation at the event.
As one of the key B2B travel trade events, ITB Berlin draws a global audience of nearly 100,000 visitors, including influential tour operators, travel agents, airlines, travel media professionals, and content creators. The fair attracts not only German-based participants but also global representatives from across the tourism industry. For Ireland, Germany remains a critical market, ranking as the third-largest source of tourists to the island, and the largest from mainland Europe. In 2023, more than 463,000 German visitors traveled to Ireland, contributing over €430 million in revenue and spending an impressive 4 million nights across the country, according to statistics from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).
Tourism Ireland is hosting 28 businesses from across the island at its dedicated stand, including 12 companies specifically promoting Northern Ireland. The participating businesses span a diverse range of offerings, from luxury hotels and world-renowned whiskey distilleries to adventurous outdoor experiences and lesser-known heritage treasures. Over the course of the three-day event, the tourism companies have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with key international tour operators and travel agents, forging valuable partnerships that will drive future tourism growth.
Minister Archibald said:“Tourism to the north of Ireland represents revenue of more than £1.2 billion from overnight visitors, thanks to our fantastic and unique offering. My Department’s Tourism Vision and Action Plan sets out how we will grow that to £2 billion by 2035. This target is ambitious, but achievable, and it is vital that we continue to market Ireland, north and south, as a sustainable visitor destination to the whole world.
“I am very pleased to support the 28 providers from the island, including 12 selling the north, at ITB Berlin, Europe’s largest international tourism trade expo. This is a fantastic platform for further raising awareness of the north as an attractive destination. It has been fascinating to engage directly with representatives from the various providers and I am confident they will see tangible benefit from their attendance at ITB Berlin.”
The event is set to deliver a significant impact, with hundreds of business meetings scheduled throughout the fair. These interactions are expected to yield millions of euros in future tourism revenue, helping to further boost Ireland’s profile and cement its position as a top travel destination for global travelers in the years to come. As Tourism Ireland continues to strengthen its ties with key international markets, the impact of this week’s event will resonate for years to come, securing a steady stream of international visitors and continued growth for the Irish tourism sector.
Speaking at ITB Berlin, Alice Mansergh, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, said: “We are delighted to be at ITB Berlin this week, one of the world’s leading travel trade fairs, joined by Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald and 28 tourism businesses from across the island of Ireland. ITB provides an invaluable platform to showcase what the island of Ireland has to offer and to strengthen relationships with influential international tour operators and travel agents.
“Germany is our largest tourism market in Mainland Europe – with German visitors contributing over €430/£374 million in 2023 – and ITB plays a vital role in growing our share of this important market for tourism. This week we will be showcasing ease of access and great places to stay, as well as the rich culture, history and outdoor experiences that make our destination so appealing to German visitors. We sincerely thank Minister Archibald for her support in helping us drive future tourism growth at this key event.”
