The Cork Chamber of Commerce Releases Results of St. Patrick’s Day Survey in U.S.
Survey Examines Perceptions of Ireland, Ireland-U.S. Relationship, Business, Tourism and More.
The Cork Chamber of Commerce partnered with Lenox Consulting, a boutique public affairs firm with offices in the U.S. and Ireland and Publitics, a communication and strategy consultancy, to take a look at perceptions of Ireland, the Ireland-U.S. relationship, tourism, business and more amongst U.S. adults in the lead-up to St. Patrick’s Day. The results of the survey have just been released.
The St. Patrick’s Day spirit is ubiquitous in communities across the United States and this year, 67% reported that they plan to celebrate in some way. Celebrations take a variety of forms. According to the survey, the most popular ways to mark the holiday, among those who plan to celebrate, are wearing green (66%), going out to a bar or restaurant (43%) and cooking Irish food at home (31%).
According to Conor Healy, CEO of Cork Chamber, “43% of survey respondents indicated that they believe that economic and business ties are the most important aspect of the Ireland-U.S. relationship.”
Americans hold overwhelmingly positive views of Ireland, with 87% reporting they have a very positive or positive opinion. Likewise, 80% believe the U.S. and Ireland have a positive relationship and 91% believe it is important or very important for the U.S. to maintain that relationship. “Ireland remains extremely popular in a time where it’s hard to maintain a positive image in the public eye,” commented Matt Krayton.
Steve Lenox, President of Irish Network USA, shared this poll with me, and graciously allowed us to run it in the OhioIANews.
Here are some of the results from a recent poll conducted on behalf of INUSA* that proves that your support of our efforts to engage the Global Irish matter.
According to the results of the nationwide survey, 67% of Americans plan on celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Whether that “celebration” is as simple as wearing green or attending a parade, this staggering number shows that a majority of America is willing to be connected to Ireland in some way!
This makes even more sense when further along in the poll we learn that 87% of Americans have a favorable opinion of Ireland, and that 91% believe it’s important for the US and Ireland to maintain a strong relationship.
When it comes to where the US/Ireland relationship matters most, 43% said economic and business ties. 21% believe that arts and cultural links matter most, while national security (19%), food and beverage (15%), and sports (2%) links round out the responses.
In short, these survey results prove that there are huge opportunities to continue to engage new members and supporters across the US in efforts to increase “investment in Ireland!”
“While St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the U.S. have taken on their own unique character, it’s clear that Ireland has historically and continues to make a significant imprint on the American imagination,” said Steve Lenox. “St. Patrick’s Day provides an entirely unique opportunity to educate and engage the American public about Ireland, business, cultural and culinary ties,” continued Lenox. Over half of respondents (58%) reported that St. Patrick’s Day celebrations make them want to learn more about career or travel opportunities in Ireland.
Americans also display high interest in opportunities to travel and even relocate to Ireland. 88% reported they have an interest in taking a trip to Ireland, while 70% said they would at least consider relocating to Ireland to live and work. In terms of getting to Ireland, 72% reported that the availability of direct flights is either very important or important in deciding on which destination to travel to.
“While going to a parade, drinking a Guinness, or considering a trip to Ireland may not equate to global trade, there is undeniably a correlation between the St. Patrick’s Day holiday and how Americans perceive Ireland,” said Lenox. “We believe this survey provides a roadmap to future Global Irish engagement and proves again that those efforts must be year-round.”
About Lenox Consulting and Steve Lenox
Steve Lenox is the Founder of Lenox Consulting, a boutique public affairs firm with offices in Ireland and the United States. Steve also serves as President of Irish Network USA, a 501(c)3 organization launched to help grow opportunities for Irish, Irish Americans, and friends of Ireland to invest in business through culture, education, business, and sports.
