TORONTO — Alison Metcalfe isn’t exaggerating when she says there’s never been a better time to visit Ireland. Speaking to Travelweek during an Ireland Group Travel

Organizers Workshop in Toronto this week, the Vice President, U.S. & Canada for Tourism Ireland said that direct flights have made a huge difference.

With increased direct air access introduced last year between Canada and Ireland and increased capacity this year, Metcalfe expects the momentum, which resulted in a 30% increase in business between the two countries in 2014, will continue.

“As we head into 2015 we have even more access coming on stream,” she said, adding that Air Canada has increased peak season capacity from seven flights a week to 11. Aer Lingus and Air Canada rouge fly direct from Toronto to Dublin year-round, while seasonal service is operated by Air Transat and WestJet.

And there’s a new route this year being offered by Europe Airpost that will serve travellers between Halifax and Dublin.

That increase in air access has been a “big driver of growth,” says Metcalfe.

“It’s allowed us to increase our marketing effort here…and change the narrative and position Ireland as an attractive year-round destination,” she adds, pointing out that Ireland has a temperate climate and wonderful walkable cities such as Dublin, Belfast and Galway that are rich in heritage and culture and make ideal hubs from which to explore surrounding attractions.

As Dana Welch, Marketing Manager for Tourism Ireland in Canada, told the gathering of tour operators, there’s much more to Ireland than pubs and lush, green landscapes. For example the country is home to a tomb (Newgrange) which is older than the Egyptian pyramids, and for adventurers there’s the carrick-a-rede rope bridge which hangs 25-metres above the sea.

Then there’s the new 2,500-km long Wild Atlantic Way – the world’s longest defined coastal touring route. And in Northern Ireland, which is buzzing with Game of Thrones fans (eager to see the places used as a backdrop for some of the scenes in the popular series), the new Titanic Belfast Visitor Centre, is getting rave reviews including one from the European Travel Awards, which named it the best group visitor attraction, beating out the London Eye and Eiffel Tower.

Welch outlined five reasons that make Ireland ideal for groups. It has a range of unique accommodation including cottages, manor homes and castles; direct air access (five airlines flying between Canada and Ireland); the advantage of being the closest European hub (under six hours); a professional network of industry on the ground; and the ability to customize.