Friday evening. This is the end of the trip to Ireland organized as part of the Air Canada-United Airlines race.
After being divided into four groups and going their separate ways on a three-day familiarization trip through the Emerald Isle, the participants meet one last time at the Portmarnock Hotel, located near the beach and a magnificent golf course, in the southern suburbs of Dublin, for the ultimate meal to share.
Everyone is tired, but delighted with their experience.
Speed dating touristique
After the race itself, which was held last Monday, the chosen travel agents have not been idle. The next day, they participated in a one-day workshop which allowed them to meet 60 partners from the Irish tourism industry: hoteliers, tourist attraction managers and providers of immersive experiences.
The activity was designed like a speed dating evening: each agent was seated at a small desk and the Irish tourism partners took turns. They each had seven minutes to sell their product.
Discover Ireland
Then, on Wednesday, the agents split up to discover four Irish regions:
- the famous Wild Atlantic Waya coastal tourist route that runs along the west coast of the country
- THE Hidden Heartlandsregion of forest, rivers and peaceful villages
- l’east of Ireland and its medieval heritage
- lNorthern Irelandits history and its natural beauties
The itineraries and activities had been carefully chosen by Tourism Ireland.
The group of which the Quebec agents were part explored the northern part of the Wild Atlantic Way.
Many activities were planned: visit to the Famine Museum in Strokestown, tasting local specialties in the pretty village of Westport, visit to the magnificent Kylemore Abbey, cruise on the River Corrib in Galway, demonstration of dog skills shepherd tour at Caherconnell Fort and observation of the impressive Cliffs of Moher.
Without forgetting a stop at gourmet restaurants: the Sage in Westport, which offered us a succulent meal without fail, and the Pullman, at the Glenlo Abbey Hotel, in Galway, which is installed in old train carriages of theOrient-Expressbeautifully restored and placed on the hotel grounds.
Moreover, Ireland is relying more and more on its culinary know-how, and although it is still proud of its traditional stews and its fish and chips, it wants to know that its restaurants have access to fish and premium seafood, as well as dairy products that are “the best in the world,” according to a cheesemaker we met in Westport.
The country is also, it must be remembered, the place where the Guinness beer. It also competes with Scotland for the distinction of having invented whiskey and will delight enthusiasts with all its distilleries and their tastings.
The race itself
But what about the race itself, which was intended to familiarize officers with the city of Dublin?
The rally was organized in the city center of the Irish capital. The six teams, on foot, were equipped with an electronic tablet which allowed them to answer different questions or challenges related to their environment.
Participants had to find the answer by searching around or could also use their phone. They also had to let go of their madness by taking photos and videos.
“The idea of the race is to create a partnership with travel agents and share tourism knowledge with them, but in a playful spirit,” explains Elizabeth Ohayon, regional service manager at Air Canada.
Ms. Ohayon recalls that many direct flights from Air Canada and United Airlines allow you to get to Dublin.
With Air Canada, these flights depart from Toronto all year round, and from Montreal and Vancouver seasonally. With United Airlines, it is possible to depart from Newark airport, but also from Chicago and Washington.
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