On Location: Experiencing Ireland’s Next Big Destination With Brendan Vacations

Not to diminish the efforts of my Brendan Vacations fam trip hosts or my travel advisor trip mates, but, faith and begorrah, how hard can it be to sell a vacation to Ireland?

The warmth of welcome is superb, the delicious food is proudly local, the scenery is outstanding, the craic is unsurpassed, and the sun is always shining. (Rumour has it that I may just be lucky for that part.)

This fam has definitely been blessed with the weather so far, as more than 30 Canadian and U.S. advisors converged on Dublin before splitting into three groups and boarding trains for Killarney, Kilkenny and Westport.

With just two days left, we’ve enjoyed three full days of glorious October sunshine, making spirits and photographs just that much brighter.

The goal of the ‘Pick Your Path’ fam, says Katie Jessup, Brendan’s Director of Sales, is to expose advisors to a variety of the tour operator’s travel styles, including Rail Vacations, Private Driver trips and Small Group Tours.

Travel advisors are experiencing Ireland as their clients will, gaining insider knowledge and stories to share.

Toronto-based Alicja Ertl, a 20-year veteran of CAA Travel, sells lots of Ireland and recommends Brendan Vacations for its consistent quality and the satisfaction her clients express on their return. 

While she knows Brendan’s product well, joining the fam is a chance to get to know a part of the Emerald Isle she hasn’t seen before, because her clients are always seeking new options, and it’s important to them that she has intimate knowledge of what they will experience.

“For luxury clients it is really important for them to know I have experienced the product. I have sold lots of Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, Insight Gold and Brendan Vacations because I know they will take care of my clients from beginning to end,” Ertl told Travel Market Report Canada.

“They always offer a little bit extra, from the five per cent discount for returning guests to things like the Local Hosts who meet with travellers after their arrival to orient them and answer any questions they may have.”

On this fam, the full group met in Dublin, with accommodations at three adjacent, centrally located and unique hotels from the O’Callaghan Collection – The Davenport, The Alex and The Mont.

After a Saturday walking tour through the city’s bustling streets, we all had dinner at a packed pub before retiring in comfort to recover from transatlantic flights. 

On Sunday morning it was train time, with the smaller groups heading in different directions. Despite most of our cohort having visited Ireland on multiple occasions, none had been to Westport, an absolutely charming town in the west of Ireland, about 80 km north of Galway. 

Westport is a popular domestic travel destination, but it doesn’t have a high international profile, despite its location on the Wild Atlantic Way, the 2,500-kilometre coastal touring route stretching from County Donegal in the north to County Cork in the south.

The 260-year old town is unlike most Irish towns that developed organically over centuries.

Westport was deliberately designed as a Georgian town, with attractive streets, bridges and a river running through its centre. It frequently wins awards including multiple titles of Ireland’s Tidiest Town, and earned a huge laurel in 2012 as Ireland’s Best Place to Live.

As we’ve learned over two nights here at the sparkling new Grace Hotel, Westport and the surrounding region of County Mayo is a destination to watch.

On an island packed with touristic pleasures, big investments by Tourism Ireland and private sector entities are combining with the massive civic pride of Westport to make it Ireland’s next big thing – a welcome development for travel advisors with clients thirsty for new Irish experiences.

This morning we will say a reluctant goodbye to Westport and our superb guides Stephen and Eamonn, two retired police officers with vast knowledge of the people and places of the area. 

But the fun isn’t over yet. Today we head for a privileged stay at Ashford Castle, one of Ireland’s most famous luxury hotels, a magnificent 13th-century castle set on a 350-acre estate beside Lough Corrib in Cong, County Mayo.

In 2015, it was named Best Hotel in the World by Virtuoso, a major distinction in luxury travel.

All three groups are meeting there and will share a meal at the property’s acclaimed George V Dining Room and an overnight in elegant castle rooms before travelling back to Dublin for a farewell dinner prior to the trip home. 

Stay tuned for more coverage of a memorable journey.