Name: Alison Metcalfe
Title: Executive vice president, United States & Canada
Company, city: Tourism Ireland; New York, N.Y.
Number of employees: 150 globally, 25 in North America
Recent project: I led the development of Tourism Ireland’s 2016 overseas marketing plan encompassing North America, Europe, Great Britain and developing markets.
First job: Graduate management trainee with Visit Britain (formerly British Tourist Authority) in London, U.K.
Your Business
Essential business philosophy: Make decisions and develop strategy based on facts and insights, be sensitive to adjust to external factors affecting business, have a clear understanding of the key drivers of growth, and judge people on their actions and performance.
Best way to keep a competitive edge: Build on strengths to differentiate your product offering. Look to the future, plan for growth and build market share. Focus on consumers, understand their needs and motivations and how to reach them. Develop a skilled and motivated team.
Yardstick of success: Annual holiday visitor and expenditure targets for tourism, making a significant and sustaining contribution to the economy throughout Ireland
Alison Metcalfe as a Traveler
What is the most important item you take when traveling? My iPhone and iPad portable battery pack
How do you spend your time on board? Catching up on news, and I love leafing through the Irish papers if traveling trans-Atlantic. After that, it’s time to read Vanity Fair, watch a movie and rest.
What is your favorite restaurant in the world? Ireland has so many great ones, I couldn’t possibly single out just one.
What is your favorite destination in the world? Ireland, of course! But Carmel and the Monterey Peninsula in California remind me of Ireland’s coastal routes.
About Tourism Ireland
Tell our readers about accessibility to and within Ireland. Getting to Ireland has never been easier, with non-stop flights to Dublin, Shannon and Belfast from 12 U.S. gateways operated by Aer Lingus, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Ethiopian Airlines and United Airlines. Easy and convenient connections also exist between Ireland and Great Britain and continental Europe.
Once in Ireland, visitors have a choice of public or private transportation. Most independent travelers choose to travel by car, as it provides the greatest freedom to get off the beaten track. Rentals are available at all airports and ferry ports as well as in many towns and city centers. I advise booking in advance to secure best value. Chauffeur-driven vehicles are becoming increasingly popular with U.S. travelers. Ireland’s rail network also offers a comfortable and convenient way to move around the country, especially between Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Killarney, Galway, Sligo and Derry/Londonderry.
What’s the perfect Ireland itinerary for those experiencing Ireland for the first time? A trip to Ireland is full of authentic, unique and fun-filled experiences. First-time visitors should take in some iconic locations. First stop could be Dublin, with a visit to the Guinness Storehouse (consider the private connoisseur experience) followed by Trinity College and the famous Book of Kells and the Little Museum of Dublin. Next up, a short drive to Northern Ireland through the Boyne Valley with a stop at Newgrange before arriving in Belfast for Titanic Belfast and a city tour. Then head north along the scenic Causeway Coastal Route toward the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage site, combined with visits to the world’s oldest whiskey distillery, Old Bushmills, and Dunluce Castle. Continue west toward Donegal and Sligo and travel along the breathtaking Wild Atlantic Way, one of the world’s longest coastal touring routes, to Galway and the cliffs of Moher, before traveling east to discover 5,000 years of history in Ireland’s Ancient East with stops in Viking Waterford, medieval Kilkenny and Powerscourt Estate and Gardens.
What can luxury travelers to Ireland expect? A wide range of 5-star properties boasts great character, quality and impeccable friendly service. Ireland is well-known for its castle hotels, manor house hotels and historic country estates as well as stylish modern urban boutique hotels, rated among Europe’s finest. Luxury travelers can also enjoy a world-class culinary experience. Ireland offers custom vacation options designed around themes like food, castles, whiskey tasting, houses and gardens, literature, art and architecture. Country pursuits include falconry, fly-fishing and horse riding. Ireland boasts the world’s top links courses such as Royal County Down, ranked No. 1 in the world; Ballybunion; and Royal Portrush, set to host the 2019 British Open.
Read This Next
Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedDaily
Apr 29, 2024Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman Announces Dining Concepts Ahead of Grand Opening
Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman is slated to debut May 8. Ahead of its highly anticipated opening, the resort from IHG Hotels & Resorts and Dart Properties announces its diverse restaurant and bar offerings.
Daily
Apr 29, 2024Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity Opens Collection to Public for First Time
As a married couple, Charles and Ray Eames gave shape, literally, to America's mid-to late 20th century. Most of us know them as furniture designers, but they also designed hundreds of other products, from airplane stabilizers to magazine covers to various types of tools. The Eames Institute presently holds more than 40,000 artifacts including prototypes, products and items not originally designed to be retained or preserved but have been collected or retained.
Daily
Apr 29, 2024This 5-Star Hotel is Your Gateway to the Scottish Highlands
As one of the most popular destinations in the world, the Scottish Highlands is unmatched when it comes to green mountains, lush glens and vast lakes. Being able to see it in all its beauty can be a challenge when considering just how large it is, and finding a place to stay that grants easy access to some of the most scenic spots in the Highlands is important.
Sponsored Content
Why Buy Trip Cancellation Insurance?
Don’t risk losing all the money you’ve spent if you must cancel your trip at the last minute. Allianz Travel Insurance can give you:
Slideshow
Apr 29, 20246 European Castles to Put on Your Travel List
It’s time to start dreaming of your next trip. Here’s some destination inspiration for you. Take a visual journey through these European castles with us.
Hôtel Royal Unveils evian SPA, the First in Europe
Daily
Apr 25, 2024Daily
Apr 24, 2024Summer, Unplugged: Get Cozy at These Digital Detox Destinations
There is a cure for summertime blues in the digital age: Find yourself a beautiful country inn, cabin or retreat far in spirit from the maddening crowds and distractions of daily life. Next, unplug, relax and don’t look back.
Sponsored Content
A New Perspective on Incentive Travel
Incentive travel has long been a way for organizations to drive sales and reward employees with opulent trips to exotic destinations. Today it encompasses even more.
eFlyer Reviews
Apr 24, 2024Fairfield by Marriott Phnom Penh Review
Phnom Penh as we imagined it stretches beneath us: a picturesque, low-rise mix of Southeast Asian and French Colonial styles. When the inhabitants of those buildings look back at us here in the Fairfield by Marriott hotel in Chip Mong Tower, they see the future.
ShareThis