Ireland's tourism promoters do not have the advertising spend in China that countries like Australia do, but they have proven very adept at getting things for nothing in this fast-growing market.
Earlier this month, about 80 million Chinese tuned in to Glamorous Ireland, a 45-minute documentary about Ireland that aired on the state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV-4). The online video that I watched subsequently had more than 20 million hits, so the show has had major impact.
Kicking off in Trinity College, the crew covered the country in seven days. In a country where pollution is a conversation topic, the focus was on the green elements but it also touched on some other Chinese obsessions, such as the use of the Long Room as inspiration for the set of Harry Potter. Also in the programme were places like the Cliffs of Moher and Blarney Castle, and the crew liked their Guinness tasting, although the focus was also on the Guinness Book of Records, which is vastly popular in China.
"With an audience of about 80 million viewers, the Glamorous Ireland documentary is the kind of publicity that money simply could not buy and is an excellent way of showcasing the island of Ireland to potential Chinese holidaymakers," said Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland.
"Working with journalists and TV crews is a key element of our annual promotional programme in China, to help secure a greater share of the three million-plus Chinese visitors who travel to Europe each year. Tourism Ireland aims to grow the number of Chinese visitors to the island of Ireland to 50,000 per year, by 2017," said Gibbons.
