Caroline Boland, Dingle Peninsula Tourism, Evelyn Horwarth, Ryanair, Minister for Tourism Brendan Griffin, Zoe Redmond, Tourism Ireland, Michael Collins, Irish Ambassador to Germany, Brendan Keogh, SWING Golf and Lynne Brennan, Kenmare Marketing and Events Group pictured at the Irish Embassy in Berlin at the weekend as part of a Kerry Business delegation promoting tourism and the inaugural twice weekly Ryanair flight to Berlin from Kerry. Photograph: Don MacMonagle / Info@macmonagle.com
Mayor of Kerry John Sheahan, Angela McAllen, Kerry County Council and Mayor of Killarney Niall Kelleher pictured beside the Berlin Wall at the weekend as part of a Kerry Business delegation promoting tourism and the inaugural twice weekly Ryanair flight to Berlin from Kerry. The flight will operate between Kerry Airport and Berlin Shoenefeld every Thursday and Sunday. Photograph: Don MacMonagle / Info@macmonagle.com
Minister for Tourism Brendan Griffin leading a delegation of Kerry Tourism Business pictured inside the Berlin Parliament at the weekend following a meeting with the Berlin President Ralf Wieland where they were promoting tourism and the inaugural twice weekly Ryanair Kerry to Berlin flight at the weekend. Included are from left, Brendan Tuohy, National Tourism Forum, Angela McAllen, Deputy Kerry County Manager, Cllr. Jim Finucane; German Ambassador Michael Collins, John Sheahan, Mayor of Kerry, Norma Moriarty, deputy Mayor, Mike Kennelly, Mayor of Listowel and Niall Kelliher, Mayor of Killarney. Photograph: Don MacMonagle / Info@macmonagle.com
Irish Ambassador to Germany, Michael Collins takes Minister for Tourism Brendan Griffin, Mayor of Kerry John Sheahan, Angela McAllen, Kerry County Council, Mayor of Killarney Niall Kelliher, Mayor of Listowel Jim Kennelly, Cllr Jim Finnucane, Tralee and Deputy Mayor of South Kerry Norma Moriarty on a tour of the Berlin Wall at the weekend as part of a Kerry Business delegation promoting tourism and the inaugural twice weekly Ryanair flight to Berlin from Kerry. The flight will operate between Kerry Airport and Berlin Shoenefeld every Thursday and Sunday. Photograph: Don MacMonagle / info@macmonagle.com
Irish Ambassador to Germany Michael Collins, pictured at the Irish Embassy in Berlin at the weekend as part of a Kerry Business delegation promoting tourism and the inaugural twice weekly Ryanair flight to Berlin from Kerry. The flight will operate between Kerry Airport and Berlin Shoenefeld every Thursday & Sunday. Photo: Don MacMonagle info@macmonagle.com
River Cruising on the Spree River through the centre of Berlin at the weekend where a Kerry Business delegation was promoting tourism and the inaugural twice weekly Ryanair flight to Berlin from Kerry. Photograph: Don MacMonagle / Info@macmonagle.com
Irish Ambassador to Germany, Michael Collins takes Minister for Tourism Brendan Griffin, on a tour of the Berlin Wall at the weekend as part of a Kerry Business delegation promoting tourism and the inaugural twice weekly Ryanair flight to Berlin from Kerry. The flight will operate between Kerry Airport and Berlin Shoenefeld every Thursday and Sunday. Photograph: Don MacMonagle / Info@macmonagle.com
Irish Ambassador to Germany, Michael Collins takes Minister for Tourism Brendan Griffin, Mayor of Kerry John Sheahan and Mayor of Killarney Niall Kelleher on a tour of the Berlin Wall at the weekend as part of a Kerry Business delegation promoting tourism and the inaugural twice weekly Ryanair flight to Berlin from Kerry. Photograph: Don MacMonagle / Info@macmonagle.com
One of the many war museums in the centre of Berlin at the weekend where a Kerry Business delegation was promoting tourism and the inaugural twice weekly Ryanair flight to Berlin from Kerry. The flight will operate between Kerry Airport and Berlin Shoenefeld every Thursday and Sunday. Photograph: Don MacMonagle / info@macmonagle.com
Minister for Tourism Brendan Griffin presenting the President of the Berlin Parliament Ralf Weiland with a piece of Muckross House Pottery in Berlin at the weekend as part of a Kerry Business delegation helping to promote tourism and the inaugural twice weekly Ryanair Kerry to Berlin flight. The flight will operate between Kerry Airport and Berlin Shoenefeld every Thursday and Sunday. Photograph: Don MacMonagle / Info@macmonagle.com
The organisers of last weekend’s three-day Kerry tourism promotional visit to Berlin have hailed it an outstanding success.
The 35-strong group, led by Minister Brendan Griffin TD and Mayor of Kerry, Cllr John Sheahan, held a series of engagements with tourism trade, media and consumer groups. They also held a high level political meeting with State President Ralf Wieland in the Berlin Parliament to promote closer economic ties between Kerry, Berlin and the State of Brandenburg.
Berlin to Kerry Airport
The visit was in support of the new direct Ryanair flight from Berlin to Kerry and was organised by Kerry County Council, Destination Kerry and Kerry Airport and supported by Tourism Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and the Irish Embassy in Berlin. Trade representatives from all over Kerry formed part of the delegation.
The main events were hosted by the Irish Ambassador, Michael Collins, at the Irish Embassy. There were presentations to the group by Tourism Ireland’s Head of Europe, Finola O’Mahony and Manager (Central Europe), Zoe Redmond.
Kerry Tourism Showcase
Over 70 Berlin trade and media attended the Kerry Tourism Showcase event at the embassy where Ambassador Collins, Minister Griffin and Mayor Sheahan spoke and there were presentations by Angela McAllen and John Griffin of Kerry County Council and Conor Hennigan of Kerry Airport.
Minister Griffin, who spoke in German and English, stressed the popularity of Kerry as a holiday destination for German visitors with over 250,000 now visiting the county each year, the most to any Irish county.
Potential for Growth
Currently, these visitors come mainly from northern, central and southern Germany. The potential for growth from eastern Germany is now considerable, he said, with the opening up of the new direct route to Kerry.
‘Berlin is a largely new tourism market, from a Kerry perspective,’ according to Mayor John Sheahan. ‘There are 3.5 million people living in the greater Berlin area and we wanted to present Kerry as an attractive holiday option to them.’ In his speech the mayor pointed out that the flight time from Berlin to Kerry of 2.5 hours is less than it takes to drive from Kerry to Dublin. There was laughter when he said that you also gain an hour when flying west from Germany to Ireland.
Consumer Promotions
The group also participated in consumer promotions at the Irish Embassy and at the Ring Shopping Centre. There was strong interest in English language learning, outdoor pursuits and coastal and cultural activities. “As Berlin is five hours from the sea, coastal destinations and the Wild Atlantic Way have a particular appeal to them” according to Caroline Boland from Dingle Peninsula Tourism Alliance. ‘The challenge now is to build on this success,’ according to Brendan Tuohy, Chairman of Destination Kerry, ‘and continue the momentum through further promotions and engagements.’
To coincide with the Berlin promotion Ryanair announced a special seat sale for January on the route for €12.99 to be booked by midnight on Wednesday, November 15th next.
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