Tag: #tourism

The Ledge 4D Experience opens at the Cliffs of Moher

A €320,000 upgrade to the virtual reality cliffside experience at the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare has been completed.

Located within the Cliffs of Moher Experience visitor centre, the Ledge 4D Experience takes visitors on an interactive 3-minute tour of the cliffs and combines stunning visuals of the world-famous cliffs on a calm summer’s day, both above the sea and underwater, with the environmental effects of west of Ireland wind and spray of Moher mist.

State-of-the-art projectors, an upgraded sound system and a tiered standing area to allow for improved viewing conditions also have been installed to add to the overall authenticity of the experience mirroring a real-life bird’s-eye view of the Cliffs of Moher over and underwater.

Officially opening the Ledge 4D Experience, Cllr. Joe Cooney, Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council said, “I warmly welcome the ongoing investment in the overall visitor experience at the Cliffs of Moher, which remains a primary driver for the local tourism economy. The Ledge 4D Experience brings to life the natural and scenic beautify of the Cliffs of Moher and it will be particularly beneficial to anyone who visits the site on a day when visibility may be poor at the cliff edge.”

Commenting on the background to the upgrade, Bobby Kerr, Chair of the Board of Cliffs of Moher Centre DAC said, “When commissioned in 2006, the Ledge visuals were state-of-the-art, but by 2023 were starting to show their age somewhat. As well as this, the projection and sound equipment, although upgraded and maintained over the years, were no longer the most efficient or effective in their class.”

“After many months of planning and preparation, work commenced last November to upgrade the experience,” added Mr. Kerr. This film itself, although remaining the same, has been updated to modern standards and the accuracy of the content has been improved to show more detail of the Cliff face, the birds, the sea life, and other elements such as the wave motion and grass movement.”

Set to a rousing soundtrack composed by famous local musician Davy Spillane, the Ledge 4D Experience follows a gannet over the cliff edge of the cliffs, down into the water to explore the wide range of life under the waves, and back up past the impressive Sea Stack and O’Brien’s Tower.

The project was delivered on behalf of Cliffs of Moher Experience by Rockbrook Engineering, DMW Creative, Marcon Construction and Alphachannel.

Visit www.cliffsofmoher.ie for more.

Dublin City Council and OpenAI Announce Partnership to Show the Potential of AI to Support Europe’s Tourism Industry

Dublin City Council and OpenAI are today announcing a partnership that leverages the power of artificial intelligence to support Europe’s tourism industry. This collaboration comes as Dublin proudly accepts the title of European Capital of Smart Tourism for 2024, underscoring the city’s commitment to innovation in tourism.

The partnership aims to set a new standard for smart tourism innovation across Europe, showcasing the potential of AI to enhance the visitor experience. Key initiatives include:

-Co-development of a Dublin Itinerary Planner Proof of Concept “A Day in Dublin”: Leveraging the advanced capabilities of GPT-4, this innovative tool will showcase how bespoke travel recommendations can make Dublin’s rich cultural heritage and vibrant city life more accessible to visitors. This prototype has been designed to show the potential of generative AI to support unique, bespoke experiences for visitors instead of generic to-do lists.

-Supporting Tourism Across Europe: A hands-on workshop will be held for leaders of smart tourism destinations across the EU this September in Dublin. This session will explore how AI can be utilised in various aspects of tourism, including city promotion, destination branding, tourism engagement, and itinerary planning.

Lord Mayor of Dublin Daithi De Roisti: “We are delighted to partner with OpenAI to support Dublin and European cities to realise the potential of AI to transform tourism experiences and offerings. Through our EU Capital of Smart Tourism Designation we also look forward to welcoming city destination leaders to Dublin in September for a unique AI and tourism mentoring workshop to support their innovation programmes”

OpenAI’s Vice President of Global Affairs, Anna Makanju:“OpenAI is excited to collaborate with the City of Dublin to support the future of tourism in Europe. Our advanced AI technologies, including GPT-4, have the potential to revolutionize how people explore and experience destinations. We look forward to working together to create innovative solutions that will benefit visitors and cities alike.“

The Dublin Itinerary Planner Proof of Concept is a collaboration between Dublin City Council, OpenAi and Data & Design, a local Dublin based data consultancy. It has been designed to show the potential and power of generative AI to create unique and bespoke experiences that move away from mainstream generic ‘things to do’ lists in cities!

Data & Design Founder Rudi O’ Reilly Meehan: “There is little doubt of the transformative power of OpenAI’s technologies such as GPT-4. This collaboration is about creating tools that harness this power to benefit visitors to Dublin – in this case, by providing tailor-made itineraries created using generative AI. I am delighted to be working with Dublin City Council and OpenAI in building this prototype, and the approach we are taking has significant scope for scaling across other cities and experiences.” 

This partnership marks a significant milestone in the integration of AI into the tourism industry, promising to deliver a more engaging and bespoke visitor experience. Dublin and OpenAI are committed to leading the way in smart tourism innovation, inspiring cities across Europe to explore the possibilities.

Dublin City wins the European Capital of Smart Tourism 2024

The European Commission has announced that Dublin City has won the Smart Tourism Capital Award designation for 2024.

The announcement was made today in Brussels.

“We are delighted that Dublin has been awarded the 2024 European Capital of Smart Tourism. This designation is a recognition of our commitment to deliver a greener, more accessible, inclusive and innovative Dublin, for both our visitors and locals. Our Smart Tourism programme, which was established in 2019 has been sharing, collaborating, and learning from some of the best cities in Europe and embedding this best practice in our own work through our new Tourism Strategy 2023-2023. We will proudly use this designation as a platform to deliver an innovative approach to tourism for Dublin.” – Richard Shakespeare, Chief Executive, Dublin City Council.

There were 30 candidates spanning 17 countries with six cities short-listed: Bremerhaven (Germany), Cork (Ireland), Dublin (Ireland), Genoa (Italy), Helsingborg (Sweden), and San Sebastián (Spain), all had their submissions evaluated by an expert judging panel. Following this competitive process, the judging panel recognised that Dublin has embedded best Smart Tourism practices from across Europe through its collaborations with other cities and the publication of its first five-year tourism strategy with a strong focus on innovation.

New experiences such as 14 Henrietta Street, EPIC the Irish Emigration Museum as well as digital innovations such as the Dublin Discovery Trails App separated Dublin from the other applicants. Dublin has also committed to sustainability by being the first Irish city to sign the Glasgow Declaration on Sustainable Tourism. Dublin also impressed the judges through its vision to become the world’s first autism friendly city by 2026.

“This city immersed in a rich tapestry of history, is a city full of culture and creativity. Now hailed for its commitment to sustainability and a strategic smart tourism vision and outstanding achievements, it has impressed the jury. Over the past year, this city has actively engaged people in decision-making, creating a destination that resonates with its people and embraces innovation at the same time. The city’s networking efforts with previous winners reflect a dedication to collaboration, leadership and innovation, and a beating European heart,” the European Commission judging panel said.

The new Dublin City Council Tourism Strategy 2023-2028 is due to be launched this Thursday 30th November 2023.

Dublin city shortlisted for 2024 European Capital of Smart Tourism award

Dublin City Council is delighted to announce that Dublin City has been shortlisted for the 2024 European Capital of Smart Tourism award. It is the second time Dublin has been shortlisted for the designation. Last year Dublin City Council also won the prestigious Tourism Innovation Award in Seville.

The shortlist was announced this morning by the European Commission.

From a pool of 30 candidates spanning 17 countries, the selected finalists for the European Capital of Smart Tourism are in alphabetical order, Bremerhaven (Germany), Cork (Ireland), Dublin (Ireland), Genoa (Italy), Helsingborg (Sweden), and San Sebastián (Spain). 

The European Capital of Smart Tourism recognises best practice and innovative tourism practices in European cities.  Dublin is one of the first European cities to prioritise a specific Smart Tourism programme.  Since 2020, Dublin City Council, Smart Dublin and Dublin City Council Culture Company have been working in partnership on Dublin’s first Smart Tourism Programme, with the aim of making the city a smart tourism destination, using the city’s expertise in technology to deliver a superior tourism experience.

Head of Dublin City’s Tourism Unit, Barry Rogers said:  “This shortlisting is a real recognition of many years of consistent collaboration and work across Dublin City Council, Smart Dublin and Dublin City Council Culture Company. This designation specifically recognises cities who are striving to be more digitally advanced, sustainable, accessible and more equitable for locals.   Dublin being shortlisted amongst these other leading destinations is a welcome benchmark of our own progress to date and provides many more opportunities for innovation and collaboration going forward. We very much look forward to representing Dublin in Brussels in our bid to become the 2024 European Capital of Smart Tourism”

Dublin’s Smart Tourism Initiative is a Dublin City Council programme, made in partnership with Smart Dublin and Dublin City Council Culture Company. The programme is led and governed by the Dublin City Tourism Unit and is underpinned by the Innovation pillar of the new Dublin City Council Tourism Strategy 2023-2028 which states: We recognise the enormous opportunity to blend our expertise in technology, culture and tourism to build a more future facing offer in Dublin. We will be a test-bed for innovation within the tourism industry in Dublin, ultimately creating more and better experiences for visitors.  

The goal of the Smart Tourism programme is to establish Dublin as a world-leading ‘Smart Destination’ through innovation, research and partnerships. The programme is responsible for the development of cutting edge visitor experiences such as the new Dublin Discovery Trails App. Last year Dublin City Council received the Digital and Innovation award at the Tourism Innovation Summit in Seville for its development of the Smart Tourism programme.

You can access a brief profile of each of the shortlisted cities here.

The European Capital of Smart Tourism award will be granted to the city that demonstrates an extraordinary commitment to shaping the future of sustainable and innovative tourism. The award also aims to foster networking and the fortification of destinations while facilitating the exchange of best practices in this field.

Following this stage, the finalists will be invited to present their proposals to a European Jury, tasked with selecting the 2024 European Capital of Smart Tourism. The chosen city will receive extensive support in communication and branding. This includes the creation of a promotional video, installation of a hashtag sculpture for public exhibition in the city, and the implementation of tailored promotional campaigns aimed at boosting visibility at both the EU and global levels, ultimately resulting in an increase in the number of visitors.

The competition welcomed participation from cities within the European Union and non-EU countries that are eligible to the Single Market programme. An impartial panel of experts conducted a thorough evaluation of the applications, and those applicants who achieved the highest cumulative score across all categories successfully advanced.

Top autumn destinations revealed, as Irish holidaymakers get €100K in cashback from Revolut Stays

Today is World Tourism Day (27th September), Revolut, the global financial superapp with 2 million Irish customers, and 20 million globally, released its Revolut Stays Register for Autumn 2022, to reveal its top 10 most in demand destinations of the season.

The Register, based on Revolut Stay’s pre-booked trips, shows that while summer travel is coming to an end, the appetite for travel continues. Since its launch, Revolut Stays has given over €2M in cashback to its customers globally, of which its customers in Ireland have received over €100K in cashback, the equivalent of over 1000 free nights.

Revolut customers get up to 10% instant cashback, depending on the customer’s Revolut plan, on their accommodation booked with Stays – based on a customer’s average holiday spend, that’s an extra €50. Additionally, Revolut Stays offers exclusive rates, doesn’t charge booking fees, and customers can pay nothing until they get to the property. From hassle-free bill splitting to great exchange rates, Revolut Stays has everything holiday-goers need to supercharge their accomodation.

Christopher Guttridge, General Manager of Lifestyle Products at Revolut, said: “As summer comes to an end, it’s the perfect time of year to go for a weekend city break, or continue your summer with a week spent in autumn sun. This quarter’s Revolut Stays Register shows that  customers in Ireland are doing exactly that, with the bookings to Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Salou already stacking up for the next few months.

“With Stays, you can save more of your money to spend when it matters – when you’re actually on holiday. We’re delighted to have given over €2 million in cashback to our customers globally, since our launch in July last year – the equivalent of 13,000 free nights.”

The latest Revolut Stays Register reveals the top destinations of the upcoming season, top rated accommodation suggestions, and how you can spend that cashback on exciting experiences.

Revolut Stays Register, IE – Top Autumn 2022 destinations

Based on pre-booked trips

 

  1. London, England

    • Highly-rated hotel: Sea Containers London

    • What to do: London Cocktail Week, October 13th – The capital’s best bars are taking part, creating cocktails for October. It gives you the chance to do a cocktail crawl or just slope into top spots.

  2. Amsterdam, Netherlands

    • Highly-rated hotel: Hotel Estheréa

    • What to do: Amsterdam Music Festival, October 22nd – A fun electronic dance music event, with this year’s confirmed acts including Afrojack and Tiësto.

  3. Paris, France

    • Highly-rated hotel: Hôtel Francois 1er

    • What to do: Nuit Blanche, October 1st – The contemporary all-night art festival takes place across the city’s streets and monuments. You can engage with sculptures, projections, concerts and spectacular installations by national and international artists around the city.

  4. Barcelona, Spain

    • Highly-rated hotel: W Barcelona

    • What to do: Sitges Film Festival, October 6th – The festival specialises in fantasy and horror films, and airs a selection of the best ones and also awards prizes to actors, filmmakers, and films. Attendees make the most of the occasion by dressing up in their goriest costumes.

  5. New York, USA

    • Highly-rated hotel: Roxy Hotel New York

    • What to do: Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, November 24th – Drawing thousands of spectators to New York City, the parade boasts balloons, floats, clowns, marching bands, cheerleaders, and even celebrities.

  6. Salou, Spain

    • Highly-rated hotel: PortAventura Hotel Gold River

    • What to do: PortAventura World, attracting around 3.5 million visitors per year, is the most visited theme park in Spain and the sixth most visited theme park in Europe.

  7. Berlin, Germany

    • Highly-rated hotel: 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin

    • What to do: Festival of Lights, October 7th – Many landmarks, historical places, streets, squares, trendy neighbourhoods and interesting places of recent Berlin history will be spectacularly illuminated for ten days.

  8. Manchester, England

    • Highly-rated hotel: The Lowry Hotel

    • What to do: Manchester Science Festival, October 21st – From family-friendly games and tinkering to after-hours adult events, there’s something for everyone, including inspiring experiences and entertaining events.

  9. Glasgow, Scotland

    • Highly-rated hotel: Hotel du Vin & Bistro Glasgow

    • What to do: GlasGLOW, October 26th – The show is an ‘epic dinosaur adventure into The Land That Time Forgot.’

  10. Tias (Lanzarote), Spain

    • Highly-rated hotel: 5 Suites

    • What to do: Timanfaya National Park – A breath-taking stretch of volcanic land that covers a quarter of the island, was created over six years of near-continuous volcanic eruptions.

Digital Tourism Campaign Targets North American Market

A digital tourism marketing campaign offering a 5-day getaway break to County Clare has attracted more than 34,000 entries from across the United States and Canada.

Hosted by the Cliffs of Moher Experience and supported by Tourism Ireland, Aer Lingus and Clare tourism operators, the ‘Epic Trip’ competition targeted the North American market and reached an audience of 3.4 million people via Cliffs of Moher Experience social media channels and through targeted Google ad placements.

The winning couple, Peggy and Daniel Haukup from Wichita in Kansas, arrived in Ireland this morning. Their prize includes Aer Lingus direct scheduled return flights from the USA with AVIS car hire and a five-night stay in County Clare with attractions and activities included.

“The success of this digital marketing campaign is the result of a collaborative effort involving Aer Lingus and Tourism Ireland and is evidence that an inter-agency digital marketing campaign,” stated Geraldine Enright, Director of the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience.

“The campaign is funded by Tourism Ireland through the Industry Market Access Programme (IMAP), which has been established to support the tourism industry on the island of Ireland to recover swiftly from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic,” she explained. “The Programme has a particular focus on supporting sales focused activities in key overseas markets such as the North American market, which our campaign specifically targeted.”

Ms. Enright said that targeting the North American visitor market following two years of declining international visitors to Ireland is central to ongoing recovery of the Irish tourism sector.

She continued, “Visitor numbers this summer are down across the Irish tourism sector compared to 2019 and therefore, a key focus this autumn and winter must be on tapping into the considerable North American visitor market to ensure that we recover some of the ground lost due to the pandemic. Our digital marketing campaign is evidence that Ireland as a tourism destination remains a significant draw for people in Canada and the United States.”

The winning couple’s prize includes visits to the world-famous Cliffs of Moher, Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, Aillwee Cave, Doolin, Ballyvaughan, Lahinch, Ennis, Burren Smokehouse and the Wild Honey Inn in Lisdoonvarna, a guided tour of the Burren with the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark Geologist Dr. Eamon Doyle, and a trip to the base of the Cliffs of Moher and the Aran Islands on board Garrihy’s Doolin2Aran Ferries.

According to Melanie Lennon, Sales & Marketing Manager, Cliffs of Moher Experience, “In conjunction with Tourism Ireland and local tourism providers, we curated a packaged holiday that incorporates the best of what Clare has to offer in terms of attractions, activities and our food produce.”

Ms. Lennon added, “Our focus has been on promoting what the wider North Clare region has to offer beyond the Cliffs of Moher tapping into our key objectives in the Cliffs of Moher Strategy 2030, which include delivering economic benefits to the wider tourism economy.  The support shown by the local sector throughout this campaign is very encouraging and underlines the importance of and benefits associated with the sector working together.”

The Cliffs of Moher Experience is Ireland’s most visited natural attraction, a Signature Discovery Point on the Wild Atlantic Way, a main Geosite of the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Geopark, and a Special Protection Area (SPA) under Natura 2000 designation. The visitor attraction is a wholly owned tourism asset of Clare County Council.

Visit www.cliffsofmoher.ie for more.

New App Provides New Visitor Experience At Cliffs Of Moher

A free interactive mobile app has today (29 July 2021) been launched for those visiting or planning to visit the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience in County Clare.

Pictured above launching the new Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience app at the Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, Ireland (l-r) Leonard Cleary, Director of Service, Rural Development and Tourism, Clare County Council; Bobby Kerr, Chairperson of the Board of the Cliffs of Moher Centre Ltd.; and Geraldine Enright, Director of the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience.

With free Wi-Fi available throughout the main visitor centre building and viewing platforms, visitors will be able to access a range of information about the Cliffs of Moher via their smartphone.

The app also contains 13 audio tracks narrated by Conor Tallon and featuring contributions from people with an intrinsic knowledge of the rich history, geology, flora and fauna of Ireland’s most visited natural attraction.

Bobby Kerr, Chairperson of the Board of the Cliffs of Moher Centre Ltd., commented, “A key feature of the new app is to educate visitors and to significantly improve visitor experience while on-site, but also in the pre- and post-stages of their visit.  It will be effective in providing information to helping guests find their way and to make the most out of their day.”

Leonard Cleary, Director of Service, Rural Development and Tourism, Clare County Council, added, “We are continually seeking new ways to further enhance the overall visitor experience at the Cliffs of Moher.  The app, which is free to download, is educational and it also allows us to promote what the rest of County Clare has to offer visitors.”

Cliffs of Moher App techbuzzireland

Geraldine Enright, Director of the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience, said, “The launch of this interactive app ties in with our sustainability ethos as it will greatly reduce the amount of information brochures being distributed on site.  Everything from a map of the attraction to the weather forecast and items of local interest is there on the app.”

“The audio tracks featured on the app will provide context and extra life to what visitors are experiencing during their trip to the Cliffs of Moher,” explained Ms. Enright.  “Our staff provide local insight on the myths, history and the biodiversity of the site, while the busking tradition at the site and the traditional music of North Clare and the wider county also features.”

The app, which has been developed by Digisoft.tv in conjunction with Cork-based Inhand Guides Smart Audio, is available to download from the Apple App Store and Android Playstore.

The Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience is a signature discovery point on Fáilte Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, a main Geosite of the Burren & Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Geopark, a Special Protected Area for Birds and Wildlife and is a wholly owned tourism asset of Clare County Council.  Visit www.cliffsofmoher.ie for more details.