Play-off 'could boost economy'

The upcoming World Cup play-off match between France and Ireland could help kickstart the economy, tourism bosses claimed today.

Chief executive of Dublin Tourism Frank Magee said success in the crunch match could be the trigger to help get the country back on its feet.

"Ireland's success in World Cup 1990 is often credited with kick-starting the Celtic Tiger boom in Ireland's economy. If we can beat the French and make it to South Africa, it will really lift the nation's spirit and might be just the thing to boost the economy," Mr Magee said.

Tourism Ireland is using the football match to target millions of French people with a new campaign to lure more visitors to the State.

The organisation is using newspapers, radio and new media to highlight Ireland as holiday destination.

Last year, some 423,000 people from France travelled to Ireland, and Tourism Ireland said this year's figures are already ahead of 2008.

"The match next weekend is an excellent opportunity for us to raise the profile of Ireland in France and we have put a busy promotional programme in place this week, to capitalise on the wonderful exposure. It is a great 'hook' to deliver the message that there has never been a better time for French people to visit the island of Ireland," said Tourism Ireland chief executive Niall Gibbons.

The campaign includes a special radio promotion on radio station Europe1, which will reach more than five million people, that offers listeners the chance to win one fo seven trips to Dublin for the match. As part of the deal with the radio station, the promotion features information on Dublin rather than just the upcoming match, and represents about €200,000 worth of advertising.

However, because the deal was done under a barter arrangement, Tourism Ireland is effectively getting the advertising in exchange for the competition prizes.

"The actual investment is small from a Tourism Ireland perspective," said Billy Condon, manger of Tourism Ireland's southern Europe section.

As part of the deal, the radio station is running an advertising campaign this week in newspapers, including L'équipe, Le Parisien-Aujourd'huiand Direct Soir, which have more than three million readers and adds another €100,000 in advertising value to the campaign.

Tourism Ireland has also brought in elements of new media, with social networking site Facebook being used as a promotion tool, online advertising on sports and news websites. The radio station is allowing listeners to text their answers for the competition.

The reaction has been "enthusiastic", Mr Condon said.