Tour operators from Finland sample the sights and sounds of Co Kildare

Seven leading tour operators and travel agents from Finland have been taking part in a fact-finding visit of Kildare and Ireland over the weekend – as guests of Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland. The group flew to Dublin from Helsinki with Norwegian Airlines. The aim of the visit was to showcase Ireland’s Ancient East and to encourage the Finnish travel professionals to extend the Ireland content of their programmes or to include Ireland for the first time in their programmes. The visit was also a great opportunity to highlight ease of access from Finland to Ireland.

The group visited the Irish National Stud and Japanese Gardens, where they enjoyed a guided tour of the working farm and gardens. They also had lunch in the Japanese Gardens Restaurant at the National Stud.

Aileen Hickey, Tourism Ireland’s Manager for the Nordic Region, said: “Tourism Ireland was delighted to invite this group of Finnish tour operators and travel agents to visit Kildare and Ireland.

Fact-finding visits like this are an important part of our annual programme of promotions in the Nordic Region, to increase awareness of Ireland among influential travel professionals and help secure a greater share of their business.”

PIC SHOWS: Virpi Kärkkäinen, OK Matkat; Akseli Miettinen, Tjäreborg; Outi Vahakuopus, Matkapojat; Karoliina Ala-Opas, Elämysmatkat; Karoliina Lassila, Kilroy; Mari Airaksinen, Matka-Vekka; Irma Kuusirati, Lomalinja; Camilla Karlsson, Norwegian Airlines; Maarit Kärkkäinen, Tourism Ireland; and tour guide Siobhan McDonald, visit the Irish National Stud in Kildare.