The countdown to St. Patrick’s Day is on for Tourism Ireland

With the countdown to St. Patrick’s Day officially underway, Tourism Ireland and tour operators specializing in the destination believe travel advisors can take advantage of the momentum.

“The spotlight on Ireland provided by St Patrick’s Day creates a strong halo effect that keeps Ireland front and centre for travellers, reinforcing interest and stimulating demand throughout the month,” Sandra Moffatt, country director for Canada at Tourism Ireland told TravelPress Today at the Ireland Funds St. Patrick’s Day Luncheon in Toronto. “It also gives travel advisors a valuable window to capitalize on Ireland being in the spotlight. St. Patrick’s Day opens several strong sales angles for selling Ireland to clients. The day itself is on the bucket list for many Canadians, with festivals and events happening all over the country, from the iconic parade and festival in Dublin to equally festive celebrations happening in Galway, Cork, Limerick, and Waterford to name just a few.”

Notably, she says Tourism Ireland supports this momentum by providing advisors with ready‑to‑use content toolkits that make it easy to promote the destination to clients.

“This creates a great hook for longer extended programs, with Canadians spending on average 11.5 days in Ireland on their trip,” Moffatt adds. “St. Patrick’s Day is also a great opportunity for affinity groups, with opportunities for heritage groups, university alumni, dance schools, music clubs or marching bands to travel and get involved in the festivities.”

Held in the lead up to the big day, the annual Ireland Funds St. Patrick’s Day Luncheon always serves as a fundraiser, this year in support of I/CAN – The Eamonn O’Loghlin Irish Canadian Immigration Centre and the Canada Ireland Foundation. It brings together business and community leaders to strengthen ties between Ireland and Canada, supporting projects in education, culture, and community development. Tourism Ireland and Royal Irish Tours again teamed up to sponsor a table for members of the travel industry to take part in the festivities, including ACTA, TTC Tour Brands, TTAND, Air Canada and TravelOnly.

“Every year around St. Patrick’s Day we see a noticeable spike in interest. The holiday puts Ireland front and centre in people’s minds and often turns that ‘someday’ trip into something people start actively planning,” noted Conor Duffy, vice president of Royal Irish Tours. “It’s the perfect moment for agents to start the conversation. Share a few inspiring Ireland itineraries, highlight unique experiences, or remind clients that the best tours and hotels for summer fill up early. A little inspiration in March can easily turn into a booking for later in the year. We have some of our best offers available now to take advantage of this.”

As Ireland is consistently one of the most popular destinations across TTC Tour Brands’ companies like Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, Contiki, Costsaver and Brendan Vacations, which specializes in tours to Ireland and Scotland, Jenni Berg, director, strategic accounts says they always recommend that travellers book early.

“So many Canadians have some ancestry in Ireland, and those that don’t, pretend they do on St. Patrick’s day,” Berg shared. “St. Patrick’s day reminds us all how special Ireland is, how warm and welcoming the people are, how charming the pubs can be and of the stunning natural landscape. The next step is getting themselves to the Emerald Isle to experience the real thing.”

To help seal the deal, she said a number of TTC Tour Brands deals are underway through April 16.

“There is something truly special about Ireland, which is why it is such a popular travel destination,” she said. “It is one of those places that calls you back again and again, and leaves a special mark on your heart.”

Overall, Moffatt said tourism from Canada continues to show strong momentum, with Canada now ranking among the top four source markets globally for inbound visitors to Ireland. In 2025, arrivals grew by +9 per cent year over year, reaching 216,000 visitors to the Republic of Ireland.

“Canadian travellers also tend to explore beyond the south — they are one of the top three revenue‑generating markets for Northern Ireland, reflecting their interest in seeing the full island of Ireland,” she said. “Ireland’s mild, temperate climate is another advantage. Without the harsh winters Canadians experience at home, the destination is becoming increasingly appealing in the off‑season. That trend is already visible: January 2026 saw a +47% increase in Canadian visitors, an additional 3,000 trips compared to January 2025, showing growing interest in winter travel to Ireland.”

Since St. Patrick’s Day is extremley popular in Ireland, with over 500,000 attendees at the 2025 St Patricks Day parade, Tourism Ireland also recommends booking as early as possible for the best rates and guaranteed availability.

“We would recommend considering alternative hubs outside of Dublin, and build flexibility into itineraries, encouraging clients to stay for a few days before and after March 17th to enjoy the plethora of cultural programming around the big day itself,” Moffatt said. “Traditional music sessions, food tours, countryside festivals  and our iconic tourism attractions and stunning scenery offer lots to do and see beyond the parade.”

In celebration of Irish Heritage Month and St. Patrick’s Day, Tourism Ireland is also bringing taste of Ireland to Toronto with its Ireland Pop-Up in the CF Eaton Centre, which features exclusive the Irish brands, advice from travel experts including Royal Irish Tours, CIE, Brendan Vacations and the Giant’s Causeway, and runs until March 17.

“The pop-up is a great way to inspire clients for travel to Ireland – from shopping Irish heritage and craft, whiskey tastings, and live music,” she added. “St. Patrick’s Day may be a global spotlight moment, but Ireland’s real strength is how much there is to experience throughout the year. Advisors can confidently promote Ireland in any season, knowing travellers will find mild weather, rich culture, and warm hospitality whenever they go – and our team at Tourism Ireland is always here to support them with any questions or advice they need for their clients.”

Other celebrations and activations include the lighting of major landmarks in Canada, including Niagara Falls (March 13), the Toronto Sign (March 14) and the CN Tower (March 17).

“The city of Toronto will also host the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 15, followed by the largest and oldest St. Patrick’s Day parade in Canada taking place in Montreal on March 22nd,” she added.

The Marlies and Maple Leafs will play special commemorative St. Patrick’s Day games throughout the month acknowledging their Irish heritage connection, and CelticFest will take over the streets of Vancouver.

“Last but certainly not least, the Toronto Irish Film Festival takes place from March 27-29 at the TIFF Lightbox, celebrating the very best of Irish cinema,” she highlighted.