COUNTY DERRY — I’m on a group fam trip for travel agents hosted by Tourism Ireland and TourRadar, and we’re in Northern Ireland, in a town called Swatragh.

“I dare not anger the other people,” Dermot Friel tells us, while pointing out over his fields, past his small drove of donkeys – they’re good luck, apparently – to a circle of mature trees, including a lone Hawthorn.

Friel is standing in front of one of his glamping Fairy Tree Lodges, a trio of container-style units with all the modern amenities, hot tub included. He’s explaining the legend of the ‘other’ people, ancient mystical beings that inhabit the underworld at the roots of lone Hawthorns, and how he’s planning a walking trail that meanders past the circle, but not too close.

This is Ireland, full of myth – the land of Gulliver, a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, leprechauns and little people.

Friel is the owner/manager of Friels Irish Pub, run by his family for a century. He’s also the creator of ‘Gorta: The Famine Story,’ at Friels, a tourist attraction that tells of one man’s mission to feed the hungry during the Great Potato Famine of the mid-1800s. A famine pot was discovered when Friel was doing some work on the site and, with research, he discovered the doctor that lived in the current location of his pub was serving soup out of that same pot through his surgery’s tiny window to those in need. A million people fled Ireland during this time, another million succumbed to starvation.

A fair amount of the world’s Irish diaspora, particularly in Canada, Australia and the U.S., can attribute their roots to this exodus, making Ireland a top destination for family heritage and history travel.

CANADA: 4TH LARGEST FOR IRELAND INTERNATIONALLY

According to Tourism Ireland, Canada has emerged as one of Ireland’s most important growth markets for overseas tourism, now ranking as the fourth‑largest source of international tourism revenue.

The country has seen a surge in Canadian visitors, rising by 35% since 2023, reflecting both strong demand and Ireland’s increasing appeal among Canadian travellers.

This rise is also showing up at the tourist attraction level. “We’ve seen an incredible 78% increase in Canadian visitors this year with more than 80 per cent indicating a visit to Titanic Belfast was central to their decision to travel to the island of Ireland,” says Tiernan McGee, leisure sales manager at Titanic Belfast, the interactive museum dedicated to the ill-fated ocean liner.

In 2025, Titanic Belfast welcomed just shy of one million visitors and, since opening in 2012, continues to be the most-visited attraction in Northern Ireland. “And working with the travel trade across all markets, especially Canada, is an integral part of our identity,” says McGee.

Walking through the museum, hearing the recordings of actual voices of survivors echoing over the speakers, and reading the desperate SOS dispatches to neighbouring ships is another sobering moment, along with the two-storey-high wall etched with the survivors’ names and those that perished.

Northern Ireland is known for its troubles; more to the point, The Troubles. The walled city of Derry (or Londonderry, as Unionists call it), has been the frontline of the fight for justice for all. Thankfully, this 30-year conflict that spanned 1968 to 1998, is in the past. The Peace Museum documents the efforts in conflict resolution, nonviolence and community initiatives. Families that once fought for their rights against those considered privileged have come together to build an ongoing peaceful Derry. And not just in Derry. Before leaving Belfast, we took turns riding with local guides – former enemies and now friends – on Belfast Lad & Co.’s Black Cab Tours to get both sides of the story. The company is also a member of the Peace Tourism Initiative of Northern Ireland.

Of course, no trip to Derry is complete without a selfie at the Derry Girls mural; an homage to the popular Netflix comedy that helped launch Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan’s career, and provided a bittersweet look at life during the fading days of The Troubles. The city was also known for its shirtmakers, and the hundreds of women employed to make shirts sent around the world are the real Derry Girls. They kept food on the table when most men were jobless.

It’s an emotional few days, a kind of intentional travel that allows sadness, introspection and inspires respect for the hard-won peace.

CROSSING OVER

After a gentle house-boat style cruise around Lough Erne with Erne Water Taxi – think Ontario’s Muskoka but greener – it’s time to bid Northern Ireland farewell. There’s no fanfare, no border patrol, just an easy drive down the road. When the signs start to sport both English and Irish Gaelic, we know we’ve crossed over.

We’re only two days in, and already the agents are excited about being here.

Laurraine Payne, owner of Rainy Day Travel Services in Waterloo, ON, is one of the seven winning agents of a contest co-hosted by TourRadar and Tourism Ireland on the trip. “I do a lot of FITs, and I’ve visited Ireland before and done a lot of things on my own,” she says. “But there’s something about going with in-destination professionals. There are things that I’ve never heard of that I know my clients would love. It’s been great having the Tourism Ireland and TourRadar presence so that I can say to my clients, ‘Hey, I did this with them.’” Payne has been blogging as she goes, and has already seen interest from some of her regulars.

According to Nika Petauer, partner marketing manager at TourRadar, the company is seeing a strong and growing demand for Ireland from Canadian agents, “reflecting both the destination’s enduring appeal and increasing engagement from the Canadian travel trade,” she says. “And Canadians typically favour our Explorer and In-depth Cultural tours, prioritizing immersive and authentic experiences.”

A houseboat style cruise around Lough Erne with Erne Water Taxi in Northern Ireland

“I DIDN’T WANT TO BOOK WITH SOMEONE I DIDN’T KNOW”

Payne’s agency has just started working with TourRadar and its bank of itineraries. “I’ve got five trips on the go with TourRadar, and my own personal trip next month – because I was looking for certain things that I couldn’t find with our Canadian suppliers, and I didn’t want to book with someone I didn’t know.”

Familiarization trips have a critical role in driving both destination awareness and advocacy with travel trade partners, says Sandra Moffatt, country director – Canada, Tourism Ireland. By bringing Canadian travel professionals to the Emerald Isle, Moffatt and her team provide first-hand experience of the quality, diversity and ease of selling the destination. “Advisors on this visit can now transform their product knowledge into confidence, enabling advisors to authentically promote Ireland and influence their clients’ booking decisions.”

Laura Derksen of Big Planet Adventure Travel in Winnipeg agrees with Payne. “When my usual ‘go-to’ tour suppliers don’t have the type of itinerary my clients are looking for, TourRadar is a great tool to find alternate travel suppliers offering an array of additional (and commissionable!) options,” she says. “Using the agent portal to book and communicate with suppliers is easy and the option to book with foreign suppliers in Canadian dollars is a nice feature. I’ve gotten to know some new tour suppliers and appreciate being able to book them all in one place.”

FAR FROM SOBER

Our next place is not sobering at all. It’s a whiskey and gin tasting at Shed Distillery in Drumshanbo. A refreshing gin and tonic sets us up for the onward journey to Lough Rynn Castle Hotel, our stay for the night. It’s more stately manor house than Cinderella’s castle, with roaring fireplaces, portrait-covered walls and creaking floor boards. The lawns look out over Lough Rynn, while a secret walled garden is a short walk through the woods.

In the morning, we make for Fiona Egans Coughlan Farm & Cookery School, and try our hand at making classic scones. After we pop them in the oven, we visit the lambs and stroll the farm. Tea is waiting, and the warm scones go down easily, accompanied by Fiona’s rhubarb and ginger jam. We also make a stop along the National Famine Way, a trail that covers the 165 km distance many families walked to take the boats that took them away. We, however, arrive in Kilkenny and embark on a walking tour of one of Ireland’s largest and lovely cities, the home of hurling (a precursor to our hockey) and Smithwick’s beer.

Our last stop is Dublin, Ireland’s capital. We’re again reminded of the country’s troubled past with a stirring tour of Kilmainham Gaol, where many political prisoners were held – and executed – for fighting for civil rights. At EPIC, The Irish Emigration Museum, we follow the path of those that chose to leave these shores. But there’s joy as well. From brilliant cuisine to hands-on classes with a silversmith at Silverworks helping you create your own piece of jewelry, to buskers singing on every corner and quirky spots like The Little Museum of Dublin.

“There’s a great mix of unique attractions, history and culture, making Ireland an excellent choice for travellers looking to experience a destination and not just travel through it,” says Derksen. “The natural landscapes can be enjoyed on foot, bikes and boats for more active travellers. And when you add a dose of that legendary Irish hospitality, it makes for an unforgettable holiday.” A little Irish luck doesn’t hurt either.

BOOKINGS MADE EASY

Tourism Ireland has an extensive program of travel‑trade promotions throughout 2026. The goal is to inspire more Canadians to choose Ireland by showcasing the island’s culture, landscapes and unique experiences.

Connectivity continues to be a major driver of this growth. Travellers can now fly directly to Ireland from six Canadian gateways: Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, Toronto, Halifax and St. John’s. Seat capacity on these routes has increased by 9% year‑over‑year, making it easier than ever for Canadians to access the island.

Tourism Ireland assets available to the travel trade include the Ireland Specialist Program, Tourism Ireland’s online training platform designed to enhance destination knowledge and support advisors in promoting the island of Ireland. There’s also a Trade eZine, a monthly newsletter sent out to Canadian advisors sharing the latest updates from the island of Ireland, a content pool with free access to 1000’s of images and videos, digital collateral resources and campaign-related toolkits. Of course, Ireland.com is always a go-to resource too.

With TourRadar, travel advisors can use the travel advisor platform to access to 50,000+ multi-day tours across the globe, 2,500+ tour operators and local DMCs, a wide range of travel styles, including cultural tours, safaris, river cruises, and adventure travel, commissions and tools specifically designed for travel professionals and more. Travel styles include groups, private adventures and FIT.

TourRadar also encourages agents to create and promote their own hosted group trips. Agents who bring a minimum of six paying travellers on a private tour receive a complimentary spot. Agents can also earn on average $315 per booking, with no upfront costs and additional earning opportunities through a 90-day lookback window.

Lead image caption: The Tourism Ireland / TourRadar FAM’s winning Canadian travel advisors after a productive shopping trip to Kilkenny Design, with Tourism Ireland’s Lauren Lamonday (front row, second from right)