A number of global landmarks are to 'go green' on St Patrick's Day to mark the launch of Tourism Ireland's EUR28m (£23.7m) overseas marketing campaign.

The London Eye; Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa; the Sky Tower in Auckland, New Zealand; and New York's Empire State Building, US, will all turn green on 17 March. Tourism Ireland is also planning a number of other promotional events across key markets, including the UK, North America, France and Germany to help attract visitors to Ireland.

Niall Gibbons, the agency's chief executive, said: "People across the world instantly identify St Patrick's Day with Ireland and that heightened profile allows us to put the Ireland holiday experience in the spotlight. "Our message this year is that there has never been a better time to visit the island of Ireland, with better-than-ever value from industry partners here and great things to do and see."

Image: Tourism Ireland/Nutan