Mayo to host renowned international travel writers’ conference

ASHFORD Castle has been confirmed as the venue for the prestigious Travel Classics International writers’ conference in 2023. The announcement was made at the Travel Classics West conference, which took place over the weekend in Vail, Colorado.

Regarded by many as the world’s foremost networking event for travel writers and editors, it’s a major coup for Irish tourism that the 2023 Travel Classics International conference will take place here. It brings together celebrated editors from a wide range of high-profile publications - including titles like Condé Nast Traveler, National Geographic Traveler and AFAR magazine - which collectively reach hundreds of thousands of readers across North America, as well as globally.

The conference will take place in Ashford Castle over four days (April 24-27), during which numerous American freelance travel writers will have the opportunity to hold individual meetings with assigning editors from the top travel, epicurean and lifestyle publications in the US.

Welcoming the announcement, Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland’s head of North America, said: “We are delighted that the Travel Classics International conference will return to Ireland in 2023. With some of the most influential and prominent American travel and lifestyle journalists likely to attend, it will bring huge exposure about what Mayo and Ireland have to offer American holidaymakers, through the media in this important tourism market.

“We look forward to working with our partners in Fáilte Ireland and Tourism NI to show the journalists at first-hand what makes the island of Ireland unique.”