Travel advisors get a taste of Ireland with G Adventures

This week 11 travel advisors from B.C., Alberta, Ontario and Quebec are getting a firsthand look at how G Adventures does Ireland on an in-depth FAM trip.

The nine-day Highlights of Ireland itinerary features attractions likes the Cliffs of Moher, the Ring of Kerry and the Giant’s Causeway, with stops in Dublin, Derry, Galway, Killarney and Belfast.

“I want them to go home with a deep, personal confidence in selling G,” explains Hilary Arsenault, GPS – Global Purpose Specialist Quebec and Atlantic Canada, who is leading the tour alongside CEO (Chief Experience Officer, the company’s title for a tour leader) Ali Donaghy. “We want them to leave with a clear understanding of who the G traveller is, how we build community through travel, and the tools to comfortably pitch small-group adventure to their existing client base.”

During a welcome meeting in Dublin, Donaghy outlined that the tour is  designed to give travellers an overview of Ireland but features a few special moments that are unique to the small group adventure tour operator. Meanwhile the advisors, including a few who are travelling with G Adventures for the first time, shared that being on location and getting to see what it’s like for themselves will be helpful when it comes to assisting clients booking Ireland and G Adventures trips.

“I’m half Irish, and I have never visited the country. I wanted to get in touch with my roots. It was a new destination for me. I sell a lot of G.  The FAMS give me firsthand experience and allow me to sell the tour easier. Also, promoting the tour through pictures and videos on social media helps to create excitement for the destination with family and friends,” says Jacqueline Hider, with Marlin Travel in Mississauga, Ont.  “I’m looking forward to so much… excited to learn more about the culture, food, people, landscape and overall history. I can’t wait to eat all the food, see the sights, sample the whisky and bring back some souvenirs!”

Not only is Ireland already a popular destination from the market, but G Adventures is seeing a 30% increase in Canadians travelling to Ireland in the fall versus the summer.

“As for what I’m most excited about, there’s always a moment a few days into a G trip where everyone lets their guard down, starts laughing together over a local meal or a pint in a pub, and realizes, ‘Ah, this is the G Adventures secret sauce,’” adds Arsenault. “Experiencing those small, authentic moments alongside our agency partners is always the highlight. It really is about changing people’s lives.”

For travel advisors who want to be part of an upcoming FAM, G Adventures will be releasing its 2027 FAM announcement mid-October.

“At G Adventures, our trips aren’t just itineraries, they’re living, breathing human experiences centered around local community impact,” says David Green, Global VP, Customer Sales & Solutions and Managing Director, Canada. “You can’t capture the magic of our Chief Experience Officers, the warmth of a local homestay, or the energy of a group dynamic in a brochure. FAM trips allow us to immerse our agency partners directly into our style of travel, proving firsthand how community tourism changes lives for both the traveller and the people in the destinations we visit.”

Stay tuned for more stories from the adventure. But for now, it’s time for a Guinness! Sláinte.