By Katie Doyle,Stephen Aherne

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Visit Savannah and Luna PR hosted a wonderful evening last night in Dunne and Crescenzi on Dublin’s South Fredrick Street with key travel trade and press.

Jo Piani, founder of Luna PR introduced everyone to Visit Savannah team. Attendees included Joe Marinelli, CEO and President of Visit Savannah, Angela Westerfield, CMO, Mindy Shea- International Director and Pritpal- Left Lane Hospitality Partner.

Travel trade enjoyed fantastic Italian food, inspired by Joe Marinelli’s heritage as an Italian-American. With fantastic wine, trade dined on delectable Italian staples including bruschetta, caprese salad and beautiful pastas for main courses while learning more from the team about what Savannah has to offer.

Savannah, Georgia is a magnificent city boasting stunning antebellum architecture, a vibrant art and history scene alongside that famous Southern hospitality. In recent updates, the founders of Death & Co have debuted their new hospitality brand Midnight Auteur with their inaugural hotel in Savannah: the Municipal Grand Hotel.

There are strong connections between Ireland and Savannah, with the city celebrating St. Patrick’s Day every year- an event that attracts 300,000 people to the historic downtown.

Visitors to Savannah are entranced by the many historical and artistic offers- the African American Heritage in Savannah is accessible across a range of tours and museums from Pin Point Heritage Museum to the ’40 acres and a Mule’ tour that “brings you to the heart of story where the quest for racial equity began in America”. Other interesting landmarks for niche travellers include the Prohibition Museum, the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum and a new Savannah Pirates and Treasures Museum opening this autumn.

The city is also the America’s Most Haunted- notable haunted locations include the Marshall House, a former Civil War hospital; the Sorrel Weed House, where tragic deaths occurred; the Pirate’s House with its underground tunnels; and Wright Square, home to the ghost of Alice Riley.

But most importantly their vibrant food scene has inspired restaurants worldwide, from extra-crispy fried chicken, authentic shrimp and grits, finger-licking-good barbecue and much more! The city is known for its beautiful rooftop bars and speakeasies that make it a hub at nighttime combined with a range of late-night tours.

Ending the evening, Mindy Shea tells the group: “People who haven’t been to Savannah say they want to come, and if they have been there, they want to come back.”