Overseas networking event promotes Tourism in Galway

Last week, in the beautiful city of Milan in Italy, Ireland West Airport in partnership with Tourism Ireland, Local Authority partners from Mayo, Sligo, Galway City and County and several trade, accommodation and activity providers from across the West and Northwest of Ireland hosted a special networking event with key Italian Trade and Tour Operators.

The event provided an exceptional opportunity to connect 18 Irish partners with over 50 Italian travel agents, Tour Operators, and journalists. It provided trade from Galway and the West and Northwest with the opportunity to meet key buyers from the Italian market and showcase the quality of accommodation, activities, and value for money available to Italian tourists, supported by the low-cost direct access available with Ryanair from Milan (Bergamo) directly into the heart of the West of Ireland.

After the networking workshop, guests tasted a delicious selection of Irish and West of Ireland produce from Good Food Ireland and The Shed Distillery. Ryanair have operated a direct service to Milan-Bergamo airport from Ireland West Airport since 2012 and during this period almost 200,000 passengers have used the service with an estimated 60,000 Italian tourists using the service to fly direct into the heart of the West and Northwest of Ireland, which is the 2nd most popular region in Ireland, for Italian Holidaymakers, highlighting the importance of this direct service for tourism in the region.

A huge thank you to all the participants, especially the representatives from Galway who joined us on the evening from Galway County Council, Galway City Museum, Galway Convention Bureau, Connemara and the Islands and Kylemore Abbey.

Cover Photo: Members of the Trade. Local Authorities from the West and Northwest of Ireland and representatives from Ireland West Airport at the Overseas Trade Networking event in Milan on Tuesday 22nd May

Second Photo: Presentation to Italian Media, Tour Operators and Travel agencies from the Milan region at the Overseas Trade Networking event in Milan on Tuesday 22nd May