THE tourism ministry will be targeting the Irish as part of efforts to increase visitor arrivals, with focus placed on promoting events that appeal to the party and sport-loving market.

“The Irish are big on supporting events in which they participate so we are now looking into events niche marketing as a specific area to target,” said Tourism Minister Aloun Ndombet Assamba.

The minister, who was addressing Tuesday’s launch of ‘Irish-fest’ at the Courtleigh Hotel in New Kingston, said market research and intelligence indicated that the Irish market was very viable and could translate into high visitor arrivals to Jamaica.

“We realised that the number of Irish nationals visiting Jamaica rose healthily in 2006, with approximately 33 per cent more tourists from Britain and Ireland making the trip in August last year, compared to the same period in 2005,” she said.

Irish-fest is a grand fete being staged by the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort on March 17, for the large contingent of Irish cricket fans expected in the island for the ICC Cricket World Cup (CWC). The resort, which is located in Ocho Rios, St Ann, will be the home-base of the Irish, who will be supporting their team in the group stage of the tournament.