ICCTA Newsletter - October 2026

New Opportunities in Sino-Irish Tourism, Culture and Business

SUMMER 2026 HIGHLIGHTS

China Eastern's Inaugural Dublin Flight

From 20 to 24 July 2026, ICCTA member Zatino Travel supported the Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland familiarisation trip tied to China Eastern Airlines' inaugural Shanghai–Dublin service — welcoming seven senior China travel-trade buyers on a five-day journey through Ireland's Ancient East, the Wild Atlantic Way and the Hidden Heartlands. The new Dublin–Shanghai direct route adds tens of thousands of annual seats to Irish tourism. The buyers who took part now carry first-hand stories of Irish hospitality home with them.

To celebrate the route launch, ICCTA was invited to the inaugural-flight gala dinner and hosted its own association table there, this brought together Irish tourism stakeholders and Chinese travel-trade partners at an important moment for renewed direct air connectivity between Ireland and China.

ICCTA on the ITB China 2026 Stage

On 26 May 2026 in Shanghai, ICCTA joined the China–Europe Travel Dialogue at ITB China — a session co-hosted by ITB China and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism — as a featured speaker on building practical Ireland–China tourism and cultural exchange.

The session brought together perspectives from across the Ireland–China tourism relationship, with a focus on how industry partners can build stronger connections and develop practical opportunities for cooperation between the two markets.

ICCTA Signs Strategic Partnerships at 14th MITE Macao

In April 2026, ICCTA took part in the 14th Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo (MITE) as a strategic buyer, using the event to deepen tourism and hospitality conversations across China-facing partner networks. During the expo's official signing ceremony, ICCTA signed partnership agreements with QuYe Travel and the Macao Hotel Association, turning a trade-event appearance into clearer follow-up cooperation opportunities.

Ireland's Intangible Cultural Heritage — Accessible in Chinese

ICCTA has completed a Chinese editorial layer for Ireland's National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage — from harping and falconry to traditional boat-building and seasonal festivals. The page presents each entry side by side in English, Irish and Chinese, with additional editorial context added to support cultural exchange and professional reference between Ireland and China. It is designed as a practical resource for cultural practitioners, researchers and tourism professionals who need a trilingual, structured overview of Ireland's living heritage.

Irish Students Join Summer Camp in Tianjin

Irish students continue to take part in language and cultural exchange programmes in China. In August 2026, a group of young people from Castleknock Chinese School in Ireland joined the 9th Global Chinese Recitation Competition – Tianjin Cultural Exchange Camp.

The programme provided an opportunity for young participants to experience Chinese language and culture in an immersive setting, while connecting with students and communities from across China.

Experiences like these creating shared experiences, personal connections and goodwill that can support deeper cooperation in the future. They also highlight the important role of community-based language and cultural education in supporting long-term Ireland–China exchange.

Gaelic Games in China: Sport and Cultural Exchange

On 16 May 2026, the Shunde Gaels GAA Club hosted the North Asian Gaelic Games in Foshan, Guangdong . Events like this are a reminder of how Gaelic culture — sport, music, language — continues to find new ground in China and across Asia, creating informal but lasting people-to-people links that sit naturally alongside more formal cultural exchange work. The tournament also raised funds for the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust (KBRT), continuing a tradition that ties sport, community and cross-border solidarity together.

Open for Partnership

The past few months have brought together tourism, cultural heritage, education, sport and people-to-people exchange across Ireland and China. As these connections continue to develop, ICCTA welcomes opportunities to work with organisations looking to build meaningful engagement between the two markets.

If your organisation is planning an Ireland–China project, delegation, cultural programme or China-facing activity, we would be pleased to hear from you and explore where there may be opportunities to work together.