Making the Wild Atlantic Way famous overseas
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Wild Atlantic Way. The landscape and culture go back millennia but with Fáilte Ireland we are marking 10 years since the route came together. It’s a wonderful opportunity to retell the story of what’s on offer on one of the world’s longest coastal routes and certainly one of the most beautiful.
Looking back over the last 10 years
Award-winning ad
Tourism Ireland launched the Wild Atlantic Way overseas in 2014, with an ad featuring Solomon Grey. It reached 40 million people worldwide and won a prestigious Clio advertising award in the United States.
Screen tourism
The Wild Atlantic Way has attracted world-renowned movies and TV shows over the years. Tourism Ireland has worked hard to amplify those opportunities.
In 2016, Skellig Michael provided the backdrop for the dramatic final moments of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, in which Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) appeared. The crew returned to film Star Wars: The Last Jedi in 2017, when more Wild Atlantic Way locations doubled as Luke’s island – including Malin Head, Loop Head and the rocky shoreline of County Cork. Tourism Ireland’s Star Wars campaign in 2016 alone created 104 million opportunities to see the Wild Atlantic Way. Director Rian Johnson said: “It’s a gorgeous place. I feel very, very lucky to be able to get it on film”.
The beautiful scenery of Sligo wowed viewers of the TV adaptation of Sally Rooney’s novel Normal People – the pandemic lockdown global hit of 2020. Tourism Ireland’s behind-the-scenes film featuring actors Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones, highlighting Streedagh Beach and Ben Bulben, created 7 million opportunities to see.
The Oscar-nominated Banshees of Inisherin showcased the stunning landscapes of Achill Island and Inis Mór. Tourism Ireland sat down with Martin McDonagh, Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan. The behind-the-scenes film delivered 59 million opportunities to see.
Publicity and broadcasting
Tourism Ireland has co-produced 22 TV shows featuring the Wild Atlantic Way which have aired all over the world. To date, these programmes have created 450 million opportunities to see. Highlights include Michael Londra’s Ireland With Michael series on PBS in the United States; Donal Skehan’s Irish Adventure which has broadcast in the US, Canada, Germany and Sweden; and a nature documentary called Ireland’s Wild Islands which has broadcast in the US, Germany, France, Sweden and Australia.
Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland have invited journalists from around the world to visit the Wild Atlantic Way. These visits have generated huge positive exposure for the iconic route in international media outlets worth approximately €1 billion in EAV (equivalent advertising value). Articles about the route resulting from those visits have featured in high profile media like The Guardian, The New York Times, National Geographic Traveler, TimeOut, Le Figaro, Die Zeit and El País.
Air and sea access
Working with our air and sea carrier partners, we’ve promoted direct services to the Wild Atlantic Way e.g., with Aer Lingus and United Airlines to Shannon Airport, Brittany Ferries to the Port of Cork and Ryanair to Ireland West Airport Knock and Cork Airport.
Global platforms
Tourism supports 80,000 jobs along the Wild Atlantic Way. We know that no-one sells the route better than those businesses. We create global platforms for hundreds of tourism businesses on the Wild Atlantic Way to connect in thousands of commercial meetings with international tour operators who bring valuable tourists to Ireland.
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