Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) operates a media visit programme as part of its overall marketing strategy. Journalists from angling media in various markets (mainly UK, France, Holland, Germany, Scandinavia) are hosted for trips up to 1 week duration, where they experience Irish fishing, accommodation and hospitality. These trips result in publication of articles in angling magazines, blogs, websites, social media, and production of video content for the same audience. These articles are evaluated at advertising cost per page, although editorial content including high quality photography is generally considered to be far more valuable than advertorial/advertising content. Media visits are organised with support from Tourism Ireland and Fa¡ilte Ireland, who provide funding support for travel and accomodation, while IFI make all fishing arrangements and support trips with staff and guiding expertise.
Over the last 3 years, IFI has organised 6 media visits from UK, Netherlands and Scandinavia to the Connemara area, covering game angling (salmon, sea trout and brown trout) as well as sea angling. A breakdown of costs and exposure is not available for these visits, however the annual cost to IFI and the tourism bodies is estimated at €50,000, while the advertising cost of the articles generated averages €350-400,000, with the actual value believed to be far in excess of this.
See articles below – Source: Sea Angler Issue 537 https://www.seaangler.co.uk/
