Around 1.6 million American and Canadian visitors will come to Ireland by the end of the year.

Tourism Ireland is today launching a major campaign in the US aimed at promoting Ireland as a tourist destination.

The ads will air on three major TV networks in New York and Chicago for the next week.

CEO of Tourism Ireland is Niall Gibbons: “We’ve had a strong campaign across the globe during the course of the year, the exchange rate were very much in our favour. The air access situation was very positive as well.

“And it is is important that we continue to market through the cycle.

Our minds now turning to 2017, the air access picture from North America is very strong, We have new gateways opening up in Miami and Aer Lingus also expanding capacity at Chicago and LA and we also have Norweigan Air opening up routes into Ireland next year.

It is important that we are out there on the networks marketing Ireland.”