Top fashion and lifestyle journalists from France say ‘bonjour’ to Causeway

Top French travel and lifestyle journalists with Anne Zemmour, Tourism Ireland, (left) outside the French Rooms in Bushmills, during their fact-finding visit to Northern Ireland; they are here as guests of Tourism Ireland. Titles represented include ELLE; Paris match; Air France Madame; LExpress Styles; Geo.fr and Plumevoyages.fr. Pic by Chris Roberts (no repro fee). INBM43-14S

The French visitors – representing a number of popular, glossy magazines like Elle, Paris Match, Plume Voyages and Air France Madame – were here as guests of Tourism Ireland. The combined audience of their publications, including print and online versions, is approximately 2.4 million people – or potential holidaymakers for Northern Ireland – around France.

Their itinerary – designed by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board – included our spectacular Causeway Coastal Route, stopping off at the walled gardens at Glenarm and at Steenson’s Jewellery Workshop in Glenarm village, before spending time at the Carrick-a-rede rope bridge, the Giant’s Causeway, Dunluce Castle – and dining (very appropriately!) at The French Rooms in Bushmills. They also took in Belfast, with visits to Titanic Belfast, the Cathedral Quarter, the Ulster Museum and St George’s Market, as well as an opportunity to dine in some of the city’s newest restaurants during Belfast Restaurant Week.

Tourism Ireland undertakes a busy publicity programme in France, and elsewhere around the world, each year to raise the profile of the destination – and visits to Northern Ireland for influential lifestyle and travel journalists are a key element of that programme. Fiona O’Mahony, Tourism Ireland’s head of Europe, said: “Tourism Ireland was delighted to invite these journalists to visit Northern Ireland. With about 2.4 million readers in all, this positive exposure will be invaluable – positioning Belfast and Northern Ireland as a highly desirable and fashionable place for French holidaymakers.

“Publicity is a very powerful tool in promoting Northern Ireland in France, and elsewhere around the globe, so fact-finding visits like this are an important element of our activity; they are a really effective way for us to get positive exposure for Northern Ireland through the influential French media, helping us to showcase the superb tourism product on offer to millions of potential holidaymakers.”