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Record May for Dublin Airport

A record 2.9 million passengers travelled through Dublin Airport in May.

According to Dublin Airport Authority, 11.6 million passengers have travelled through the airport this year, a 6% increase on the first five months of 2017.

May was the 50th consecutive month of growth at the airport, and there were increases in passenger numbers on domestic routes (27%), international routes (23%), to North America (19%), Europe (12%) and the UK (3%).

Royal Mini-Moon to Boost Dublin

Dublin is likely to be given a major publicity boost when Britain's Prince Harry and his new wife Meghan Markle visit Ireland in July.

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The couple will stay in Dublin for two days on July 10 and 11 for what has been described as a 'mini-moon'.

It will be Harry's first visit to Ireland while the Duchess of Sussex has been here before in 2014.

Sources say the couple are likely to pay a visit to Trinity College and may meet President Michael D Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin.

A visit to the Guinness Storehouse is also being planned.

They are understood to be looking forward to learning more about Ireland's history and culture as well as meeting people who will shape the country's future.

It will be the second royal visit to Ireland this summer after Prince Charles and his wife Camilla visited Cork and Kerry last week.

Harry and Megan will follow their Dublin visit with an offiical honeymoon.

Commenting on the tourism potential of the visit to Ireland next month by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said: “The visit by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be a wonderful opportunity to showcase Dublin and Ireland to a huge audience of prospective holidaymakers across Britain and has the potential to deliver a major boost to Irish tourism.

“We expect a large media contingent will travel to Ireland to cover the visit, bringing the story to millions of people in Britain, and elsewhere around the world, and providing a truly unique opportunity to highlight Ireland as a wonderful holiday destination. Tourism Ireland will take every opportunity to exploit the tourism potential from the extensive publicity around the visit.

“Great Britain is an important market for tourism to the island of Ireland. It delivers 47% of all overseas visitors and around 28% of all overseas tourism revenue. Tourism Ireland is undertaking an extensive programme of promotions throughout 2018, to highlight Ireland to British travellers.

Tourism Ireland Awards Haul

Tourism Ireland’s Game of Thrones tapestry campaign has won seven awards, at three different awards events in recent weeks.

pic 1 2018 CREATIVE CIRCLE AWARDS GOLD FOR TOURISM IRELAND

The wins have included a Webby Award in New York, for Best Social Community Building and Engagement. The Webby Awards are the leading international awards honouring excellence on the internet, voted by the public.

Tourism Ireland also won three gold awards at the Creative Circle Awards, which took place recently in London – for ‘Outdoor Special Build’, ‘Best Illustration’ and ‘Best Art Direction’; and a bronze award for ‘Best Experiential Craft’. The Creative Circle is the oldest advertising awards body in the UK, with entries judged on creative excellence by the some of the biggest names in the marketing community. And, at the D&AD (Design & Art Direction) awards, also in London, Tourism Ireland won a graphite award for ‘Art Direction’ and a wood award.

Alicia heads Fizpatrick sales

Alicia Traynor has been appointed Director of Sales and Marketing at Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel, Killiney Co. Dublin.

A graduate of Marketing for Tourism and Hospitality, Alicia originally joined the castle team working part-time across banqueting and food & beverage in 2002. Alicia joined the banqueting team at the hotel full-time, before moving to the sales team in 2006, as wedding co-ordinator. In 2008, Alicia was appointed to Sales and Marketing Executive and to her most recent role of Sales and Events Manager in 2014.

Insomnia launches eco-cups

Compostable cups are being introduced across the Insomnia network of coffee shops from today.

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It is part of efforts to reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill by 90% by 2020.

Other measures include replacing plastic straws with paper ones, and the installation of compostable bins in shops.

Harry O’Kelly CEO of Insomnia said: "Today, we are introducing a compostable cup and that will roll out in the estate in the next two to three weeks in all sizes."