Meetings and Event planners from the Twin Cities and beyond, received a warm Irish welcome this week at Tourism Ireland’s inaugural Business Events Showcase.
Hosted at O’Shaughnessy Distilling Company, the B2B event featured top tier partners from the island of Ireland including Titanic Belfast, Hastings Hotel Group, Visit Belfast, ICC Belfast, Moloney & Kelly, Clayton Hotel Burlington Road, Wallace Travel Group, Dublin Convention Bureau, Lough Erne Resort, and TIFCO – each supplier an expert in their chosen field – representing hotels, destination management companies, conference venues, and professional conference organisers.
The island of Ireland is a world-class Business Events and Incentive Travel destination, with a wealth of opportunities to offer. From the cosmopolitan cities of Dublin, Limerick, Belfast, Cork, Galway and Derry; to the wild, windswept coasts; Ireland is a place with endless appeal for delegates worldwide.
Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland’s Executive Vice President, North America and Australia/NZ, “Tourism Ireland, and the Meet in Ireland team, are delighted to be here in the important Twin Cities region to showcase our island as the perfect place to host your next incentive program. Welcoming locals, world-class facilities, and an immersive landscape provide energy and excitement, while our dedicated suppliers excel at creating memorable experiences.”
Ms Metcalfe continued, “We are also pleased to be joined by our airline partners Aer Lingus and Delta who have just recently announced new non-stop routes from Minneapolis-St Paul to Dublin. Direct, and competitive air access makes Ireland really attractive for corporate meetings and incentives. The combined quality of our unique experiences, professional DMCs and the warmth of the welcome, elevates Ireland as a fantastic destination for your next corporate event or incentive program.”
Attendees at the Business Events Showcase included representatives from Prestige, BI Worldwide, Creative Group, BCD Meetings & Events, ITA Group, HelmsBriscoe and Maritz. Guests were treated to a spectacular mix of Irish music, food and experiential activities, as the key ‘Meet in Ireland” message was brought to life through the richness of Irish culture.
World renowned Master Distiller, Brian Nation, welcomed everyone with an Irish toast; local Celtic harpist, Stephanie Claussen wowed throughout the evening; but the night’s biggest surprise saw a performance by The Gardiner Brothers. Michael and Matthew Gardiner are five-time world champions in Irish dance with over 800 million views across social media. They took guests on a stunning journey of traditional dance, around the island of Ireland.
‘Meet in Ireland’ is the Business Events and incentive Program brand for the island of Ireland, comprising Tourism Ireland, Fáilte Ireland, and Tourism Northern Ireland – who work in partnership to promote the island of Ireland as a leading business events destination.
Travel to Ireland is also made easier by the fact that Dublin and Shannon airports operate US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Preclearance, which means visitors will return to the US as domestic passengers.
