A Message from our President

Updated January 6, 2023

Welcome back!

Dear guests,

We have come along way since the founding of Royal Irish Tours back in September 2001. After working for 20+ years the travel industry, I decided it was time to follow my passion and organize memorable vacation experiences for guests to my favourite place and homeland, Ireland. After a few tough years getting the wheels in motion, the company grew and I was able to add more staff, many of which are still with us today. And now, as we enter our 22nd year in business, I am still so grateful that Royal Irish Tours will continue to offer memorable and authentic experiences to Ireland and the UK.

There have been many ups and downs throughout the years, and the challenges of the last three years have really tested the resiliency of this industry and the wonderful people who work in it. I am very proud that Royal Irish Tours has weathered these latest challenges and we are delighted to welcome you – our valued guests – back to Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales.

In 2023, we are excited to continue to show the best of Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales to you. We pride ourselves on having a great team in-destination, from the amazing drivers who navigate the winding country roads so elegantly, to the fabulous guides and local staff, whose encyclopedic knowledge of their home country really brings the destination to life. Over the years, we have built great relationships with many local suppliers, such as hoteliers and visitor attractions, and we are excited to continue to work with them to showcase that warm hospitality Ireland & the UK are famous for.

So, heading into our 22nd year and counting, I just want to say a big thank you to each and every one of you for making Royal Irish Tours what it is today. We are very thankful and grateful so many have chosen to experience these destinations with us in the past, and we cannot wait to show them to you in the future as well.

From all of us at RIT, thank you and happy travels,
Ian Duffy
Founder & President

2023 TOUR UPDATES & POLICIES

The safety and enjoyment of our guests has always been paramount, and as a result,
we are implementing the following safety procedures for 2023.

WE’RE GOOD TO GO AND COVID SAFE DESIGNATIONS

The Republic of Ireland and the UK have introduced a standard set of criteria to ensure
the tourism sector continues to operate safely and respectfully in these times. We have
invested in training our staff and refitting our coaches to ensure they are perfectly safe
to travel on given the new protocols. We will also now only work with hotels, attractions,
restaurants and other tourism businesses who have received the ‘We’re Good to Go’
mark (UK) and the Covid-19 Safety Charter (Ireland) in their respective country. All of us
here in Canada as well as our teams and partners in Ireland, Scotland, England and
Wales are continuing to work hard to ensure we can again give you memorable and
unforgettable trips with RIT in 2022 and beyond.

WHILE ON TOUR

• If you are on a coach or sightseeing tours, RIT’s expert tour managers and drivers are
  there for your safety and comfort throughout. The following changes have been made
  since 2022:
• We will be using larger coaches to allow for more room on board, with free seats and
  plenty of space for social distancing.
• The coaches will be thoroughly sanitized daily and the airflow on board will be 100%
  fresh air from outside.
• We are working closely with all hotels, attractions; restaurants and other partners in
  Ireland and the UK to ensure the tours can run smoothly.
• Our tour managers and drivers are expertly trained to deal with a variety of unexpected
  situations that may arise and will be on-hand to assist you with any questions or
  concerns while on tour.

TRAVEL QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS

We pride ourselves on having expert, well-informed staff that have received regular
training and updates on the current travel situation in Ireland and the UK. If you have
any questions or concerns about travelling to Ireland, Scotland, England or Wales,
please visit the Canadian travel advisory website, speak with your travel advisor or call
us toll free on 1866-907-8687. We are here to help in any way we can, and we hope to
welcome you again this year.