New Tourism Ireland TV campaign targets millions of Spaniards tuning in to World Cup

Millions of people around Spain are seeing spectacular images of the north coast on television right now.
Millions of people around Spain are seeing spectacular images of Northern Ireland on television right now - including Dunluce Castle. INBM28-14Millions of people around Spain are seeing spectacular images of Northern Ireland on television right now - including Dunluce Castle. INBM28-14
Millions of people around Spain are seeing spectacular images of Northern Ireland on television right now - including Dunluce Castle. INBM28-14

Tourism Ireland today unveiled a new television advertising campaign – specially timed to take advantage of late booking trends for summer holidays by Spanish travellers and to coincide with the World Cup and the huge numbers of people watching television right now.

The ads – highlighting Northern Ireland as the “home of Game of Thrones” (el territorio de Juego de Tronos), as well as the Wild Atlantic Way – are running around prime time matches and programmes on national TV stations Telecinco and Cuatro.

They are part of a wider campaign with Rumbo, one of Spain’s top online travel agents, which also includes extensive advertising on Rumbo.es and other key Spanish websites, as well as a busy programme of social media activity.

Spain is an important market for tourism to the island of Ireland, delivering about 265,000 visitors in 2013.

Barbara Wood, Tourism Ireland’s manager in Spain, said: “2013 was a record year for Spanish visitors to the island of Ireland and we are undertaking an extensive programme of promotions throughout 2014, to keep the momentum going and build on that growth. Our campaign with Rumbo is an important element of that programme, to boost travel to Northern Ireland and the island of Ireland this summer.

“June is the most important month in Spain for decisions about summer holidays and given the huge popularity of football and the World Cup in Spain, this is a really good time for us to whet holidaymakers’ appetites with beautiful images and great offers.”

Tourism Ireland’s busy programme of promotions in Spain includes online advertising on key websites, running until July, which will reach an estimated 16.5 million Spaniards. The organisation is co-operating with airlines Aer Lingus, Ryanair and Iberia Express, to highlight great airfares to the island of Ireland. Tourism Ireland also operates a busy, year-round programme of PR activity, which includes visits to Northern Ireland for key Spanish travel and lifestyle journalists.