In-Ireland events
While there are currently international travel restrictions in place that limit the scope of in-person business tourism, in regular times the Meet in Ireland Trade Team organises and manages In-Ireland workshops on an annual basis. These include:
Workshops
When they are in operation, all of these workshops connect overseas buyers with Irish industry, with each workshop taking place over a one day period. The ratio of buyers to Irish industry is usually one to one for each workshop session. The overseas buyers participate in a bespoke Fam trip before the workshop, with these workshops are usually held in Q3 and Q4.
Bespoke trips
Trade Fams & Platforms is responsible for the creation and design of bespoke itineraries for the overseas buyers, booking and managing all elements for these fam trips — including ground transportation, guides, accommodation, activities, attractions, dining experiences and networking opportunities during a fam (when suitable).
When designing these bespoke fam trips, we look at the buyer profiles: what would appeal to the market and Fáilte Ireland’s strategic objectives to drive a better regional spread of visitors? We also look at factors that might extend the shoulder seasons, signature brand areas and seek to include a mix of iconic and new products.
Buyer experience
All overseas buyers are fully hosted by Fáilte Ireland. Each workshop fam trip ranges from three to six days, and each year we ensure the locations cover different areas. For each buyer on a workshop fam we produce a bespoke fam booklet that contains all the contact details for each product the buyers experience on the fam trip.
Opportunities for presentations on product sales and distribution sales form part of the buyer experience on the evening prior to each workshop, positioning the signature brands and imparting information relevant to the buyer’s needs.