Cork and Kerry can capitalise on current momentum by securing thousands of business tourists from the US east coast and the Asian market, tourist industry leaders have said.

A visiting party from German Insurance company R+V Insurance were driven in Ford Model T 's along Centre Park Road from St Anne's Church in Shandon to Blackrock Castle.

Business tourism is a burgeoning industry, worth €11.5m to the Cork economy in 2016. Pádraig Hoare hears from the Cork Convention Bureau that it can be worth infinitely more in the future

The Government now has to “step up to the plate” to rescue tourism from the impact of Brexit in the wake of the UK election because it is “much too important to the regional economy to be taken for granted”, according to a national industry body.

Cork has broken into the top 100 European conference destinations for the first time.

Tourism representatives have called for an immediate €12m injection from the Government to help minimise the negative impact of Brexit on the sector.

A Cork business and tourism delegation will be in the US this week, hoping the St Patrick’s Day spirit will unlock American goodwill.

Heineken Ireland and J Barter Travel held off competition from a strong field of finalists to land the prestigious Cork Business of the Year awards at the Cork Business Association’s annual gala dinner on Saturday.

Cork ‘ambassadors’ who have helped generate almost €10m for the region through conference business this year will be honoured tonight.

The value of business tourism generated by the Cork Convention Bureau (CCB) looks set to break the €10m barrier for the first time this year.

A new approach by key stakeholders who united to “sell” Cork has helped secure the second major route announcement for Cork Airport in a week.

Conferences could be worth up to €10m to the Cork economy this year, according to an organisation which is promoting the region as an ideal location for such events.

The Government has been urged to halt the alarming slide in passenger numbers at Cork Airport after Aer Lingus pulled the plug on its Cork to Brussels route for the winter.

A dedicated convention centre in Cork could help generate in the region of €47m in international conference business, it has been claimed.

International conferences generated just over €7m worth of business for the Cork region last year.

A Russian tour operator based in Cork hopes to develop a lucrative golf tourism link between Ireland and Russia.

Some of Cork’s best-known food heroes took their produce to Dublin yesterday in a bid to tempt international conference visitors south.

Cork food companies hope to generate €250,000 worth of invoiced sales this year from a new database of 3,000 Dutch food sector trade contacts.

Fifty Cork food and beverage businesses hope to boost their export sales following a targeted two-day food industry trip to Amsterdam.

NEIL Prendeville says he will not contest any charges that may arise from his behaviour on an Aer Lingus flight – despite claiming he can’t remember what he did.

Claire O’Sullivan examines the London timeline and finds Neil Prendeville’s excuse simply doesn’t add up.

THE group which invited broadcaster Neil Prendeville to London as part of a promotional drive hopes to land up to €500,000 worth of business tourism from that trip alone.

A well-known Cork radio personality issued a heartfelt apology on-air this morning after newspaper reports that he is to be referred to gardaí for having committed an alleged sex act on an Aer Lingus flight.

AER LINGUS is in the process of making a formal complaint to gardaí following an incident in which high-profile radio presenter Neil Prendeville exposed himself in public view on a flight between London and Cork.

HOTEL managers, business chiefs and politicians jetted into London yesterday with the aim of bringing millions of euro worth of business to Cork.

A SPECIAL team of “conference ambassadors” has secured more than €2 million worth of business for Cork city.

IN his letter headlined ‘Chinese visitors run into Irish wall’ (March 6), Gerry Mullins appears to have a complete misunderstanding of Cork Marketing Partnership (CMP) and World Expo 2010.

CORK bucked the national trend to record an significant increase in Christmas trade, according to figures released yesterday.