Tourism Ireland has rolled out its new global campaign platform. Created by Grey London, it is called “Ireland Goes Beyond” and sets out to redefine perceptions of the island of Ireland in overseas markets targeted by Tourism Ireland.
According to Grey London, “the core insight for the campaign is that while most holidays leave visitors feeling like a tourist on the periphery, Ireland truly invites you in. It’s not just a place you visit, but somewhere you’re made to feel truly part of, from the place to the people and the culture. The campaign platform, ‘the island that goes beyond,’ is designed to bottle this unique spirit of generosity and motivate holidaymakers around the world to visit.”
The core insight for the campaign, according to the agency, is that while “most holidays leave visitors feeling like a tourist on the periphery, Ireland truly invites you in. It’s not just a place you visit, but somewhere you’re made to feel truly part of, from the place to the people and the culture.”
The hero film playfully illustrates the island’s “intrinsic generosity” through the story of Paul, a local man determined to return a lost hat to visiting tourists. “This simple act of kindness escalates into an unexpected pursuit, taking viewers on a journey across Ireland’s stunning landscapes, rich culture, and unique experiences. As the visitors venture deeper into Ireland, Paul’s epic effort becomes symbolic of the island that goes beyond.”
This is supported by a suite of social films that bring to life different examples of the generosity of the people, culture, and scenery across the island.
“We know that visitors to the island of Ireland are motivated by our stunning scenery, deep history and rich culture. Uniquely, our people and our welcome add to this, by welcoming our visitors in. The island of Ireland is a place of connection and we’re proud to share some of that in our new campaign,” said Aidan Power, Tourism Ireland’s director of marketing.
“Unfolding like a small film, a simple act of kindness becomes a cinematic celebration of Ireland’s warmth, humour and spirit,” added Helen Rhodes, chief creative officer, Grey London.
“ We wanted to reflect the uniquely human character of the island, and it was a genuine honour to create a story that celebrates what makes travelling in Ireland so memorable.”
The “Ireland Goes Beyond” campaign is being rolled out globally across various channels, forming a central pillar of Tourism Ireland’s wider marketing strategy for 2026 to promote the island overseas.
Last month, Tourism Ireland announced details of its planned marketing activities for 2026, setting out an ambition to grow overseas visitor spend to more than €10bn a year by 2031, representing average annual growth of about 6%.
It also confirmed that it will have a budget of €71.43m to invest in overseas marketing for 2026.
While it admitted that 2025 presented challenges – including macroeconomic uncertainty and the impact of the Dublin Airport passenger cap early in the year- visitor numbers and spend were described as “soft” compared with 2024 but stable relative to 2023.
This year, Tourism Ireland will deliver a targeted programme of promotional activity across 15 key overseas markets. The strategy prioritises “diversified growth”, with continued focus on the United States and Great Britain, “a new approach to winning more visitors from Mainland Europe, increased investment in Canada, and the development of long-term partnerships in India and China.”
Tourism Ireland also said that “co-operative marketing campaigns with air and sea carriers will play a central role, with Tourism Ireland forecasting a return on investment of 15:1 through driving demand for strategic routes.” It also said that organisation will co-produce broadcast and streaming television content reaching global audiences, including travel series featuring Ronan Keating, Martin and Roman Kemp, Dermot O’Leary and Fred Sirieix.
Additional priorities for 2026 include culinary and activity tourism, promoting year-round reasons to visit, and encouraging exploration beyond gateway cities into regional destinations. Marketing activity will span advertising, publicity, digital, social and generative AI, targeting consumers through the channels where holiday decisions are increasingly made.
