Limerick will be represented at an annual event for the Irish Diaspora in England next month.

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A new brand for the promotion of sports, leisure and recreational facilities in Ennis was launched today.

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Maureen Cleary of the Clare Tourism Forum pictured with celebrity Chef Neven Maguire at Bloom 2013 in the Phoenix Park, Dublin.

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Clare County Council and Loop Head Tourism today welcomed the announcement that Loop Head Peninsula in County Clare has been named ‘Best Place to Holiday in Ireland’.

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Hotels and guesthouses throughout the country today joined together to launch the 2012 Irelandhotels.com Guide as part of the Irish Hotels Federation’s (IHF) international marketing drive for 2012. 

Now in its 25th edition, the Guide is renowned as Ireland’s largest and most definitive accommodation listing, featuring hundreds of premises across every county. Over 200,000 full-colour guides are being distributed across 23 countries, acting as a key marketing vehicle in promoting Irish hotels and guesthouses both at home and abroad.

Sponsored by Diageo, the Guide provides visitors with detailed listings for each hotel and guesthouse, including property highlights, GPS navigation co-ordinates, map references and a wealth of information on local attractions. The Guide includes dedicated sections showcasing the tremendous range of leisure and business facilities provided by premises at the highest standards. These include 88 hotels and guesthouses offering spa and leisure breaks, 125 properties offering comprehensive golfing arrangements, 45 premises catering for the needs of anglers and 173 properties offering conference and meeting facilities targeted at business tourism.

Building on the exceptional value available in Irish hotels and guesthouses, this year’s Guide includes for the first time vouchers offering guests significant discounts on bookings made directly with selected premises.

For those wishing to book online, the Irelandhotels.com website includes all premises listed in the Guide and provides guests with instant access to the very best deals and special offers across a wide range of properties. It features an ‘Experience Breaks’ section with packages geared around festivals and events, food & wine, sport & leisure, spa, golf and outdoor activities. Those on the move can also access the online booking facility through the Irelandhotels.com Mobile App which is available for download on iPhone, Android and Nokia smartphones.

Tim Fenn, Chief Executive of the IHF, states: “Survey after survey show that Irish hotels and guesthouses offer the most competitive room prices in Western Europe. Our challenge is to ensure we get this message across to potential visitors both in the domestic market and overseas.”

Mr Fenn states that the Guide remains an essential part of the decision-making process for many visitors when planning their annual holiday or short trips around the country. He says: “As can be seen from this year’s edition, our members are firmly focused on providing the highest quality of service in a highly competitive market. Visitors can expect to find outstanding value across all star ratings – whether they are travelling on a budget, opting for a stay in one of the country’s historic guesthouses or looking for a family friendly hotel.”

Ciaran Budds, National Sales Manager, On Trade with Diageo Ireland states, “We are delighted to be associated with the Irelandhotels.com Guide as part of a host of activities Diageo is involved in this year to encourage tourists to visit Ireland. Now in its 25th year, the Guide is widely recognised as the ultimate accommodation listing for Irish hotels and guesthouses, making it a great fit for Guinness which has a strong heritage immediately synonymous with Irish tourism. We look forward to working with the hospitality sector over the coming months to promote the enormous range of scenic and cultural attractions on offer, including our visitor centre at the Guinness Storehouse and world leading pubs throughout the country.”

In the domestic market, the Irelandhotels.com Guide is distributed by Fáilte Ireland, Shannon Development and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board via their tourist information office network. The Guide is also available through car hire companies, Eason and other leading book stores, the Guinness Storehouse, airports and the travel trade as well as in all the hotels and guesthouses featured in the Guide. In the overseas markets, Tourism Ireland distributes the Guide from all its offices to both consumers and travel trade in the UK, Continental Europe, North America and long haul markets.

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Tony Griffin, left, Director, Sports ai, and John Trainor, Managing Director of Onside Sponsorship at the launch of the Irish Sponsorship Summit, which is to take place on March 15th at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin. Picture credit: David Maher

Investment in sponsorship in Ireland is continuing to show positive signs in spite of the difficult economic environment according to the organisers of the 2011 Irish Sponsorship Summit, details of which were announced today. 

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Conscious that in these recessionary times companies may retrench on marketing activity in a bid to trim costs and survive, Shannon Chamber is calling in the University of Limerick’s Professor of Marketing to show companies that now, more than ever, marketing is crucial to the survival and success of business enterprises.

John Fahy, Professor of Marketing at the University of Limerick, who has taught many leading marketeers in Ireland and overseas, and authored multiple articles, cases and books on the subject, has been enlisted by Shannon Chamber to deliver a fast-moving marketing masterclass entitled ‘Six Common Marketing Mistakes and How To Correct Them’ at the Bunratty Castle Hotel on Tuesday, 16 November from 6-8p.m. The event is open to Chamber members and non-members.

As Professor Fahy explains: “When the economy was booming and consumers were spending, all companies could look good, but recessions provide a true test of whether a company is delivering real value to its customers or not. Businesses need to examine the effectiveness of their marketing activity and take steps to redress capability or skills weaknesses in their organisations.”

Shannon Chamber’s chief executive Helen Downes says that the masterclass has been framed to assist large, medium and small businesses understand that marketing is not selling, but a process that begins and ends with a product or service, understanding market and customer needs and then framing a marketing strategy to generate sales and attain a profit.

“We are delighted that Professor Fahy accepted our invitation to make a presentation of this nature at such a critical time for business. It will certainly exercise the minds of attendees and hopefully help them to step back, look at their marketing activity in a new light, and plan more effectively. In this fast-moving address, Professor Fahy will describe the six most common mistakes made by firms and outline how they can be rectified using examples from marketing practice in Ireland and internationally.”

To reserve a place on the masterclass, contact Aine Sheehan at Shannon Chamber. T; 061 708341 or email: asheehan@shannonchamber.ie. Early booking is advisable to avoid disappointment.

ABOVE IMAGE: John Fahy, Professor of Marketing, University of Limerick (left) and Damian Gleeson, President, Shannon Chamber pictured at the University of Limerick planning the forthcoming marketing masterclass. Photograph by Eamon Ward

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