County Donegal was showcased to thousands of visitors and members of the trade at the Holiday World Show in Dublin at the weekend.
The RDS Simmonscourt saw over 25,000 visitors looking for expert travel advice, show-only deals and the opportunity to win holiday prizes.
The Discover Ireland Home Holiday Pavilion was once again very popular among visitors. From Cork to Donegal, outdoor adventures, attractions and accommodation exhibitors showed off their corner of the country. Fans of camping could climb into tents, caravans and motorhomes as well as take a tour inside built holiday homes.
Sarah Nolan, Head of Donegal Tourism said, “The show has been a great success. We attended with fifteen Donegal businesses, it is a great way to kick off Donegal promotions in 2024 especially this year as we were awarded the Lonely Planet Best Place in the World to visit.”
Travel industry professionals were impressed by the level of bookings made over the weekend as well as the thirst from the Irish public for travel experiences, with Angela Walsh, President of the Irish Travel Agents Association saying “The Holiday World Show is a very important event on the Irish travel agent’s calendar. People are tired of the cold and dull winter, and are ready to plan their holidays. 2024 has started strong for the travel trade and there is no sign of bookings slowing down. Interesting trends that we are seeing include intergenerational holidays where families are looking to spend more time together. People are also leaning towards experiential holidays where they can go out and do things instead of just relaxing, although that is important too.”
Other Holiday World Show 2024 highlights included stage performances from Peru Fusion, Slovak Folklore Ensemble Ostroha, Flamenco Dancer Irene from Robles Real State and traditional Irish musicians from Sligo and Donegal. There was a dedicated Kids Zone, that hosted the Aer Lingus art competition for young aspiring artists.
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