The 43rd annual Milwaukee Irish Fest, the largest celebration of Irish culture in the US, attracted over 130,000 visitors, providing an ideal platform for Tourism Ireland to reach out to the Diaspora audience and those interested in Ireland.
Tourism enterprises from across Ireland participated in the festival, showcasing the country’s attractions and activities to American holidaymakers.
Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland’s Head of North America, emphasized the festival’s significance in promoting Ireland’s heritage and culture to prospective American visitors, including those of Irish descent or with an affinity for Ireland.
The United States is a crucial market for Irish tourism, with over 1.1mion American tourists visiting Ireland in 2023, generating approximately 30pc of total tourist revenue for the country that year.
Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland’s Head of North America, said: “The Milwaukee Irish Fest provides a really good platform for Tourism Ireland to showcase the island of Ireland, including our rich heritage and culture, to prospective American visitors. It’s a wonderful opportunity to inspire some of the many people of Irish descent who’re living and working in the US, as well as those with Irish connections or an affinity for Ireland, to come and visit. The United States remains an extremely important market for tourism to the island of Ireland. In 2023, we welcomed over 1.1mion American tourists to Ireland. It’s our most important market in terms of revenue, responsible for around 30pc of all tourist revenue in 2023.”
