Tourism Group Launches "Massachusetts: Ireland's Other County" Ad Campaign in Summer 2000

Twenty-five years ago this summer, the newly formed Boston Irish Tourism Association (BITA) launched an advertising campaign to promote Irish culture and heritage in Massachusetts to the visitor industry.  The goal was to form a coalition of local travel and tourism groups, hospitality entities such as hotels and restaurants, and cultural venues including museums, concert halls, festivals, cultural venues and universities, to brand Massachusetts as The Capital of Irish America. 

The Association printed 50,000 copies of a full color, oversized brochure that featured cultural events, festivals, tall ships and other summer festivities, plus information on local Irish organizations, gift shops, museums and heritage sites.   It was distributed at hundreds of visitor and cultural outlets in New England and sent to national media, travel agencies and cultural venues across North America. 

The campaign was supported with a grant from the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism, plus support from Tourism Ireland, Live Nation, John F. Kennedy Library & Museum, the Irish Cultural Centre, Gaelic Roots at Boston College, the New England Revolution, the Glynn Hospitality Group, The Boston Pops, the Flatley Company and the Boston Irish Famine Memorial Committee.  In its first year, BITA had signed up nearly 50 members, including museums, concert venues, gift shops, hotels, pubs, restaurants and colleges. 

BITA's media sponsor, The Boston Globe, ran nine full page ads in the daily and Sunday papers from June through August 2000, and several half page ads.  The ad campaign resulted in thousands of requests for marketing information coming in through the group's 1-800 number and email address. 

Since forming in 2000, BITA has continued to expand its scope as a unique cultural tourism program with a niche focus on Irish, Celtic, American and other ethnic communities that promotes parades and festivals, performing arts and literary activities, history and heritage and art and cultural exhibits, that are of interest to visitors from across the country and around the world.  

In addition, BITA works closely with Massport, Tourism Ireland, tour groups and airlines to actively promote Ireland as a year-round visitor destination, while working to strengthen travel industry ties between New England and the island of Ireland.  

Michael and Colette Quinlin, the founders of Boston Irish Tourism Association, continue to lead the group in 2025, as BITA celebrates its 25th anniversary as a unique cultural tourism program.   

Read more About BITA.