North Coast to be promoted in China

Alexandra Mehaffy, National Trust Tourism Development Manager for the Giant’s Causeway and North Coast, and Ann Donaghy, General Manager of Ramada Hotel Portrush will be participating in the week long sales event, along with 16 other representatives from attractions, hotel groups, transport providers and luxury shopping outlets from all over Ireland.

China has become the world’s largest outbound tourism market since 2012 and outbound tourist numbers are expected to reach 112 million in 2014.

Alexandra Mehaffy, National Trust Tourism Development Manager explained: “The National Trust is delighted to be participating in Tourism Ireland’s Sales Mission to China and we look forward to strengthening our contacts and building relationships with the Chinese travel trade.

“We have been welcoming an increasing number of Chinese visitors to the Giant’s Causeway World Heritage Site in recent years and notably over the Chinese New Year Festival period. Chinese visitors at the Giant’s Causeway are able to hear the stories and mystery of the amazing Causeway landscape to them in Mandarin with the assistance of state of the art audio-guide interpretation and a visitor welcome map also in Mandarin.

“With the strong support of the Tourism Ireland team on this sales mission, we hope to build on our existing business links with the Chinese travel trade and encourage more visitors to explore our beautiful North Coast.”