Ireland claims ‘Best Destination’ award in New York – A decade of success!

Friday, December 15, 2023

Ireland has once again secured a prestigious travel accolade on the American stage, clinching the title of “Best European Destination” for an astounding tenth consecutive year. The esteemed recognition was bestowed upon Tourism Ireland during the 21st annual Travel Weekly Readers’ Choice Awards, held in New York.

Emerging as the undeniable champion in the fiercely contested “best destination in Europe” category, Ireland triumphed over formidable contenders such as France, Greece, Italy, and Spain. Travel Weekly, a prominent weekly publication catering to American travel agents and industry professionals, saw an extensive participation of its readers, who cast their votes across diverse categories during the summer.

This remarkable achievement underscores Ireland’s consistent excellence, as it has garnered this prestigious award each year since 2014.

Accepting the award in New York, Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland’s Head of North America, said:“We are delighted that Ireland has been singled out for the 10th year in a row for this prestigious award. Travellers nowadays have tremendous choice, which makes it more important than ever for us to ensure the island of Ireland stands out from other destinations – so this award is really good news, as we prepare to kick off another extensive and targeted promotional drive to inspire American holidaymakers to visit Ireland in 2024.” 

The United States holds a pivotal position as a vital market for tourism to the enchanting island of Ireland. In the year 2019, Ireland extended a warm welcome to 1.7 million American visitors, whose explorations contributed a substantial €1.6 billion boost to the nation’s economy.

Alison Metcalfe continued:“I would like to take this opportunity to thank our travel trade partners across the United States – who continue to play a hugely important role in helping us promote the island of Ireland. I would also like to acknowledge the hugely important contribution of our tourism partners from the island of Ireland, who joined us on the ground in the US this year, helping to spread the word about why Ireland is such a great choice for a vacation. We look forward to working together again in 2024.”

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