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TOURISM IRELAND is hoping that Ronan Keating will work his magic for the ailing Irish tourism industry, with a new 13-week Sunday afternoon radio show in the UK that will be sponsored by the cross-border body. According to Fáilte Ireland, visitor numbers from Britain have dropped by 16 per cent, yet it remains our most important market, accounting for 50 per cent of all visitors and 40 per cent of tourism revenue.

The new radio show, which launches this weekend, is part of what Tourism Ireland hopes is a fresher approach. During Jedward-mania, it created tongue-in-cheek radio ads “apologising” to the British people for the two Irish X-Factor contestants. The Discover Ireland brand also has a presence on YouTube, with quirky videos made by young people.