11 October 2007

Tourism Ireland to spend 25% of its marketing budget online!

By Adrian Feane – Sales Director – Digino Marketing

We at Digino have always maintained that Irish companies need to up their investment in online marketing to reflect the public’s consumption of digital media. As a result of the internet, Irish adults are watching less TV, reading fewer newspapers and giving less undivided attention to traditional media in general.

With over 1.5 million adults now online in Ireland, it’s important that marketers appreciate the vast change in the media consumption patterns that are afoot. Therefore, we were delighted to read a recent statement from Tourism Ireland stating their intention to greatly increase their investment in the internet as a medium.
Announcing their ground breaking new partnership with virtual-living site SecondLife.com, Director for central marketing, Mark Henry, said: "We are committed to using e-marketing to the best possible effect in promoting the island of Ireland as a holiday destination and our involvement in Second Life is about finding new ways to connect with today's web-savvy consumer."

Mark went on to confirm that Tourism Ireland has doubled its digital marketing spend over the past three years. It currently spends a total of 14 percent of its marketing budget online, representing an investment of EUR6.5 million last year. This number is set to increase once again in 2008, with a quarter of the marketing budget earmarked for online activities.
The new campaign is the first of its kind to be hosted in the 'virtual world' Second Life by a real-world tourist board, and it will see a series of events take place online in the virtual Dublin between now and St Patrick's Day 2008. Since its establishment in 2003, the so-called virtual community of Second Life, created by Linden Lab, has grown significantly and currently has more than 9 million registered users or 'residents', 1.6 million of whom are considered regular users.

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