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Ireland ready for The Gathering 2013
Ireland is ready to welcome from overseas the 70 million people of Irish descent.
Targetting those who can claim to be "even a little bit Irish", Tourism Ireland is laying out the welcome mat for "choirs, sports teams, conferences, everybody who has a connection with Ireland" for The Gathering 2013.
There will be a particular focus on visitors from the UK, US, Australia and Canada with hopes that the Great Irish Gathering can attract an extra 325,000 visitors.
Irish residents are being urged to invite friends and relatives living overseas.
Jim Paul, Tourism Ireland head of Australia and Developing Markets, said the value of tourism to the Irish economy was critical. Two million tourists had been lost to Ireland in the last two years and hotels were "feeling the pinch", he said.
The Gathering will include community events around the country, and will have a special focus on the new Titanic exhibition in Belfast.
"There was a perception four or five years ago that Ireland had become an expensive place to visit but that’s no longer the case – hotels are among the cheapest in Europe," said Paul.
Promotion for The Gathering in Australia will highlight Ireland’s value for money under the catchline, Jump Into Ireland.
Ian Jarrett
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