€50m bid to lure tourists from cities

TOURISM IRELAND is to spend €50 million on a campaign to attract more overseas visitors to rural locations.

The all-island tourism body said yesterday that a new global TV advertising programme, which will kick off in December, will be aimed at tourists likely to come here for sightseeing and cultural visits.

The targeted campaign will account for 25% of Tourism Ireland’s marketing spend over the next three years and will attempt to counteract the trend of the increasing number of visitors choosing Ireland solely for short city breaks.