Tourism Ireland seeks to recruit marketing chief in mainland UK

Tourism Ireland (TI), the body created to market both Northern Ireland and the Republic as a single destination, is looking for a UK head of marketing.

The holder of the new position will be based in London and report to TI British head John Greene. A TI spokeswoman says the post is an important part of the organisation’s plan to attract more visitors from Britain – already the island’s biggest source of tourists.

Responsibilities will include overseeing the marketing budget; planning and implementing advertising and direct marketing campaigns in conjunction with head office; and liaising with British and Irish travel industry partners.

McCann-Erickson is responsible for TI’s international advertising and Universal McCann handles media planning and buying. The organisation spent £3.5m in the UK in the year to September (AC Nielsen).

TI has 18 overseas offices. It was created by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and the Irish Republic Tourist Board, but does not replace them.

Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the number of long-haul visitors – particularly high-spending US tourists – to Ireland has declined sharply. In 2001, the island attracted 7.2 million visitors, 15 per cent of whom went to Northern Ireland. Britain has accounted for 4.6 million visitors to the island so far this year, six per cent up on last year’s total.