Bundoran joins trade delegation to Germany
County Donegal was well represented recently at an event organised by Tourism Ireland and Ireland West Airport in Cologne, Germany. The event was held to promote a new Ryanair route between Cologne/Bonn Airport and Ireland West Airport Knock.
The group, under the leadership of Donegal Tourism’s Barney McLaughlin included Gaeltacht Tourism Officer Máire Ni Fhearraigh, Seamus Gallagher (Ireland by Bike), Ernan & Mary McGettigan from the Donegal Food Festival and Bundoran Tourism Officer, Shane Smyth. Each met with a number of German tour operators and travel agents who were invited to hear all about the offerings of county Donegal and the west of Ireland. Representatives from counties Galway, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo were also in attendance.
Barney McLaughlin said ‘this event has provided the county with a unique opportunity to meet with German tour operators face to face and for them to find out about the offerings that Donegal has. The German market is a very important one for the entire west coast and even moreso now with the new route which will operate to Ireland West from June 1st. 1.8 million people live in Cologne and many of them will never have heard of Donegal so we have a real chance here to have them find out about the county and ultimately come and visit us.’
90 German tour operators and travel agents attended the event on St Patrick’s Day which also gave them the opportunity to taste Irish food prepared by B&B Ireland. The event also coincided with Tourism Ireland’s Global Greening initiative which saw Cologne’s Lanxess Arena “greened” for the weekend.
Ryanair will operate a twice weekly route (Tuesdays and Saturdays) from Saturday June 1st until the end of September between Cologne/Bonn Airport and Ireland West Airport Knock.
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