Social Media Steers Tourism Ireland’s Road Trip to Tipperary

The Rock of Cashel, Co. Tipperary

Tourism Ireland has launched a week-long social media campaign in Great Britain, offering Facebook and Twitter communities the chance to determine the places a British couple will visit.  The innovative campaign – called “Nick and Sam’s Ireland Road Trip” – is showcasing some of our landscape and attractions, including the wonderful scenery of Co Tipperary, in a bid to highlight the same trip to potential holidaymakers and to help boost visitor numbers from Great Britain, our largest and most important tourism market.

Sam and Nick Brown, a couple from Bath, are asking people around Britain to help design their Ireland holiday via Twitter and Facebook.  People can send tips and suggestions about where the couple should go and what they should see, through Tourism Ireland’s Twitter and Facebook feeds.  The couple arrived in Cashel on Wednesday (25 May), tweeting: “Thanks to your suggestions we’re off to Cashel in Co. Tipperary.”

Every detail of the couple’s journey is an interactive event, as they share maps and video blogs (including videos on YouTube called ‘in search of the Rock of Cashel’ and ‘the making of Cashel Blue’); and they are uploading photos to a live photo feed so that potential visitors around GB can see their suggestions being carried out throughout the week-long trip.  A specially developed microsite is following Nick and Sam as they travel around the island.  Approximately 1.3 million people around Britain are hearing about the campaign, through Tourism Ireland’s online and PR activity.  The main objectives are to raise awareness of the island of Ireland as a holiday destination amongst online audiences around Britain, particularly car touring and longer-stay holidays, and to increase engagement and interaction with Tourism Ireland fans and online communities.

Vanessa Markey, Tourism Ireland’s Head of Great Britain, said: “Our latest social media initiative should prove to be a really effective way of engaging with online communities around Britain, really bringing our message of fun, friendliness and spontaneity to life.  By placing our couple, Nick and Sam, in the hands of our social media communities, they’ll be taken on a whirlwind tour of some of the best hidden spots and iconic experiences, like the Rock of Cashel, around Ireland.  And, by bringing potential holidaymakers around GB along for the journey, we’re hoping to inspire them to begin planning their very own road trip.”

“This initiative is targeting people who prefer to use their car on holidays, as these visitors tend to stay longer, spend more and are more likely to visit more than one region.  Tourism Ireland is actively promoting car touring and longer-stay holidays in the GB market this year.”

Great Britain is the largest single source market for visitors to the island of Ireland, delivering over 50% of all overseas visitors and 35% of overseas tourism revenue.