Ireland is to be promoted as a “hassle-free” holiday location for Londoners seeking to escape the fanfare surrounding the upcoming Olympic Games.
The first phase of Tourism Ireland's "Escape the Madness" ad campaign will present Ireland as an ideal getaway destination as the games attract millions of spectators to the city.
More than 200 large ads will appear at different tube stations across London, targeting commuters during the morning and evening rush hours.
Ads will appear in the Evening Standard, London's free daily newspaper which is read by millions of commuters each day. Aer Lingus ads will also be run to promote attractive fares from London.
"While the Olympics will be a very exciting time in London, the event will inevitably draw huge crowds. Commuting and day-to-day life will become that bit more hectic for Londoners," Minister for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring said.
"The Government and Tourism Ireland are using this opportunity to present the island of Ireland as the ideal escape destination during this busy time."
About 18 million extra journeys will be taken on the London underground between the opening ceremony on July 27th and the closing ceremony on September 9th, according to Mr Ring.