The 1916 Easter Rising commemorations and Star Wars both loom large in the tourism marketing calendar in the months ahead. But which will draw more visitors to Ireland? Skellig Michael's appearance in the imminent Star Wars: the Force Awakens or promotion of centenary?
Tourism Ireland chief executive Niall Gibbons wasn't going to be drawn into a comparison between campaigns at the launch of the body's plans for next year, but screen tourism is certainly a "very exciting space", he says.
Its partnership with HBO on Game of Thrones is estimated to have drawn some 20,000 visitors to Northern Ireland with the specific urge to sit on the Iron Throne.
None of this behaviour is new: industry research suggests about 35 per cent of tourists are influenced in their destination choices by what they see on screen. In Ireland's case, the legacy of John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara in The Quiet Man loomed large for decades.
Still, "Star Wars is going to take us into a new dimension," claims Gibbons.
The fact that Skellig Michael is a restricted destination, and hordes of Star Wars fans won't be able to descend upon it even if they want to, isn't a problem.
"This is not about getting people on to the Skelligs," says Gibbons. "What we are trying to do is utilise the Star Wars brand to get a conversation going about Ireland."
Working with Lucasfilm
It will be working with the Disney-owned Lucasfilm on a range of marketing initiatives tying into the blockbuster, with the dedicated campaign kicking off in January.
The all-island tourism marketing body is likely to have a budget of €52.5 million next year, which is "broadly similar" to this year, says Gibbons. Some 30 per cent of its funding comes from Northern Ireland and this element won't be finalised until April.
Minister for Tourism Paschal Donohoe, himself a "huge" Star Wars fan (being the right age for childhood fandom when the original films came out), was on hand to help outline its marketing strategy this week.
The sector is doing well. Irish tourism is on track for a record 2015, with about 7.9 million visitors, an 11 per cent increase on 2014. Better still is the fact that the revenue generated by international visitors is expected to hit €4.2 billion, a surge of 16 per cent.
2016 target
Next year, Tourism Ireland is targeting 8.2 million visitors. The global economy and currency exchange trends are always a primary factor influencing tourism numbers – and they have both been favourable of late – but they can always turn. The agency’s role is to manage those risks and not to leave anything to chance.
Its promotion of the Wild Atlantic Way will "remain a key focus", but it is the turn of Ireland's Ancient East to be the subject of the next big ad campaign. Made by creative agency Publicis, the heritage-themed, Newgrange-showcasing ad will be run in 23 markets around the world. In English, it has the slogan "wander through 5,000 years of history".
The newish Dublin: a Breath of Fresh Air campaign, co-funded by the private sector, also has more left to run. One rationale for this campaign, Gibbons says, is to bring more visitors to the capital in the off-peak and "shoulder" seasons.
Donohoe is “confident” about the industry’s targets for next year, but nothing can be banked on. “We are acknowledging that there are new geopolitical risks that will be affecting tourism everywhere next year,” he says, stressing that the perception among tourists is that Ireland is safe.
