A group of Danish food writers – including Timm Vladimir, a top celebrity chef and TV personality – enjoyed a gastronomy-themed visit to Wicklow and Dublin this week, as guests of Tourism Ireland and Bord Bia.
Representing a variety of online and print publications, as well as a radio station, the journalists were here to experience at first-hand the fresh, nutritious and authentic cuisine on offer here, as well as our world-famous Irish hospitality. Their visit was also a fantastic opportunity for Tourism Ireland to highlight some of the many ‘foodie’ festivals and events taking place here this year, as part of The Gathering Ireland 2013.
The journalists kicked off their visit with a presentation by Bord Bia, followed by lunch at the Avoca Food Market in Monkstown, in south Dublin. Then it was on to Wicklow and a visit to Pat Nuttall’s sheep farm near Roundwood, where they heard all about the wonderful Irish lamb reared here. Next stop was BrookLodge in Macreddin Village for a Wild Foods Master Class, followed by a specially-prepared organic meal at the Strawberry Tree Restaurant there. Their itinerary also included a visit to Ballyknocken House, where they enjoyed a cookery lesson with celebrity chef Catherine Fulvio and even a sheep-herding demonstration. They also stayed at Ballyknocken House.
Caroline Brunel, Tourism Ireland’s manager in the Nordic Region, said: “Tourism Ireland was delighted to work with Bord Bia and bring these journalists to Ireland. Food is a vital component of the tourism experience and increasingly Ireland is becoming known for its cuisine, with a reputation for high quality, fresh, natural products used in both traditional and innovative dishes. Fact-finding visits such as this are extremely important in helping to increase awareness, through the media in Denmark, of the superb food and tourism product on offer in Wicklow and Ireland and the wonderful hospitality here. The publicity value of the articles and broadcasts these journalists will produce when they return home is fantastic – they will be read or heard by thousands of people around Denmark, encouraging Danish ‘foodies’ to come here and sample the destination for themselves.”
Tourism Ireland undertakes a busy publicity programme around the world each year to raise the profile of the destination – and media visits to Ireland are a key element of that programme. In 2012, there were over 1,400 media visits to the island of Ireland, which helped to generate articles and broadcasts around the globe worth about €50 million in equivalent advertising value.
Pictured Danish food writers enjoy a sheep-herding demonstration at Ballyknocken House.
