Conference & Meetings World (CMW) caught up with Fáilte Ireland’s Ciara Gallagher to find out what makes the Republic of Ireland such a desirable location for business events and incentive groups, it’s sustainability agenda and what the outlook for 2023 and beyond looks like.
What sets Ireland apart from the rest of Europe for meetings and events?
Ireland excels as a destination for world-class meetings and events. It is easy to do business with and easy to do business in, providing an ideal hub for international conferences, meetings and events to take place. Here award-winning researchers, numerous regional corporations and 1,200+ multinationals all come together to produce an international, multilingual melting pot of skills.
From the capital city of Dublin to the Wild Atlantic Way and everything in between, Ireland offers a winning combination of unforgettable experiences, stunning natural beauty, and culture, along with a wide range of exceptional meeting venues. Kitted out with world class infrastructure, top technology, excellent transport links, in a variety of exciting locations and suited to any budget, Ireland’s venues have something to meet all event needs. The Convention Centre Dublin, Ireland’s purpose-built international conference and event venue, recently won the title of World’s Leading Meetings & Conference Centre 2022 at the World Travel Awards. In fact, it’s the third time the CCD has picked up the award!
Ireland’s people are our greatest asset in setting us apart for meetings and events. The people of Ireland are passionate about welcoming international visitors and showcasing all we have to offer here. Both Galway and Dublin were named 2020’s two top friendliest European cities by Condé Nast! The Meet in Ireland team at Fáilte Ireland* work with more than 500 Irish organisations and suppliers and can connect international event planners with amazing local resources including a range of Destination Management Companies.
Ireland’s green credentials are central to everything we do. With constant innovation and creative thinking, we’re always on the search for ways in which to reduce the business event industry’s footprint here in Ireland. As a spectacular destination bursting with green initiatives, Ireland makes hosting environmentally conscious business event activities simple.
Finally, as the National Tourism Development Authority we offer a range of tailored Destination Supports for international corporate meetings and incentive programmes. We can support costs associated with both in-person and virtual site inspections. In addition, we provide funding to enable international meeting planners to enhance their event programme, helping to cover the cost of activities such as welcome receptions, gala dinners, or other social programmes, to maximise the number of international delegates attending the event.
*Meet in Ireland is a brand owned and managed by Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority. As the first point of contact for many global business events operators, we are responsible for helping meeting planners organise successful international business events in Ireland.
Has 2022 been a good year for events in Ireland?
2022 has been an excellent year for business events for Ireland, surpassing expectations in terms of recovery post-pandemic. We had started the year with Covid-19 restrictions still in place, and for that reason, the outlook for 2022 was uncertain. However, by the end of 2022, we will have held 463 business events worth €192m (that’s 89% of what took place in 2019). The future also looks good. The team identified 387 new events this year that have the potential to come to Ireland in the future. In fact, we are working on events out to 2032. These numbers are reflective of the commitment and enthusiasm shown by the team to international event planners interested in hosting events in Ireland.
Last month alone, the team announced that €10 million worth of international conferences for Ireland had been secured at a series of events in the US, including at IMEX America.
Conferences announced from these US events include
- International Gynaecologic Cancer Society Meeting 2024
- IATA Slot Conference 2023
- Unison Steadfast Independence Day Conference (Next Generation) 2023
- 2024 Clarinet Fest
- International Clay Conference 2025
- PLANCKS Conference 2024
- International Association for Disability and Oral Health Conference 2026
Why is Ireland such an attractive incentive destination?
When it comes to hosting unforgettable incentive programmes Ireland offers it all — ease of access, a cosmopolitan spirit, authentic character and world-class infrastructure. And that’s not to mention our friendly, welcoming people who are fully primed and ready to help deliver a trip of a lifetime in a country boasting stunning landscapes, historic castles and cultural heritage.
Every element of an incentive programme in Ireland will inspire and delight. Whether that is a stay in an exclusive five-star castle property, a journey through the rugged beauty of the Wild Atlantic Way, or a whirlwind tour of the cultural hotspots of Dublin City.
Ireland is rich in authentic activities, from story-telling sessions in thatched roof cottages and archery lessons at a fairy-tale castle, to traditional Irish games or music sessions in cosy pubs. Incentive qualifiers can learn to pull the perfect pint, walk a medieval mile, milk the cows that produce Bailey’s Irish cream, and explore ancient tombs older than the pyramids!Choosing Ireland to host an incentive experience guarantees not only a professional approach from start to finish, but a spectacular landscape to serve as an unforgettable backdrop for event guests. Modern technology, luxurious detail, memorable experiences and a range of supports unite to deliver both value and impact for every incentive trip.
Is this the same for attracting association events?
International Associations are now seeking destinations with large clusters of aligned industry leaders. Ireland is home to some of the brightest minds in the world, and is a centre for innovation and inspiration, thanks to a nation with a ‘can do’ attitude.
Ireland has identified seven sectors (see more detail in question below on vertical markets) where we have demonstrated strengths in terms of research, education, skills and resources, and these strengths can be leveraged advantageously for business events. They enable us to help shape the content of a successful meeting or conference, and give access to key opinion leaders, world-class speakers, sponsorship opportunities and plenty of conference delegates.
Of course, there are a number of other elements that make Ireland a world-class destination for association conferences – expertise, passion and quality among them – come together ensuring conference planners can relax, breathe and witness an experience that delegates remember forever.
The small island nation of Ireland is world renowned for its unique combination of advantages that are regularly tapped into by the global association conference industry. With English as the spoken language throughout Ireland and a location right at the edge of Europe, Ireland is perfectly positioned as a hub for learning and innovation.
Ireland’s modern assets rest on an intriguing foundation of history and beauty, creating a seamless mix of the old and the new. Powerful infrastructure and world-class venues exist in charming old-world cities, with a widespread atmosphere of myth and legend.
Tailored Destination Supports for international conferences are also available to help support the bidding process, cover the cost of site inspections and to enhance the conference programme, so that delegate numbers are maximised.
The meetings landscape looks very different to 2019, what has changed significantly for Ireland, if anything?
The international business events sector accounts for over half of all business travel into Ireland. This sector is highly specialised, lucrative, and high yielding for Ireland because each business events visitor generates almost three times the revenue than that of a leisure tourist, making a significant contribution to wider tourism ecosystem and the Irish economy.
Prior to Covid-19, business events had been one of the fastest growing segments of the Irish tourism industry, contributing more than €716 million annually to the economy and supporting up to 20,000 jobs.
Covid-19 decimated the events sector in Ireland and globally, however, post pandemic, there has been huge pent-up demand to return to face to face engagement, and recovery has been strong. Hybrid working has resulted in a reduction in the numbers of office workers and regular business travellers in city centres and for this reason, in person business events and networking opportunities, are even more important than ever before.
Sustainability, in all its dimensions, from combatting climate change to corporate social responsibility, has become a post-pandemic prerequisite in responsible planning for all governing bodies, whether government, corporate or not-for-profit. As an island we are extremely conscious of carbon footprint. Further details on the importance of sustainability for attracting events to Ireland is covered on page 13.
What is Dublin’s citywide outlook and strategy for 2023 and beyond?
Dublin is the key access point for the island of Ireland and is often the first and/or last experience visitors have of the country. Its traditionally strong air access has also made it the key city break destination in Ireland. For many overseas visitors, it is their only experience of Ireland. This strong access, combined with good conference facilities, has also seen Dublin enjoy sustained growth in the high value business events industry.
The tourism economy and associated visitor numbers for Dublin were impressive prior to Covid-19. Nationally, Dublin accounts for over two thirds of all overseas tourists to Ireland. Tourism revenue pre pandemic was €2.6bn, 85% of this coming from international tourists.
The citywide strategy for Dublin seeks to guide the industry back to recovery following the Covid-19 global pandemic. It sets out a course of action based on the following eight strategic pillars;
- To sustain tourism businesses in the short term so they can thrive over the long term.
- To support industry to attract and retain talent to support sustainable growth.
- To achieve a sustained step change in Irish staycations.
- To transform Ireland’s outdoor tourism experience.
- To transform Irish tourism’s online presence and e-commerce capability.
- To enhance the destination experience and support the industry in building a pipeline of future international business.
- To reduce the carbon footprint of the tourism sector and make it much more sustainable.
- To ensure our delivery is best in class.
One of the key strategic objectives for Dublin is to re-ignite the business events industry, positioning Dublin as a leader internationally with a focus on sustainability. This will be achieved in the following ways;
- Invest in capital projects to ensure Dublin remains relevant to changing business visitor needs.
- Achieve industry sustainability standards to ensure Dublin is a recognised global leader as a sustainable events destination.
- Ensure that local communities are at the centre of tourism development across our capital region.
- Deliver a world class end-to-end delegate experience.
- Ensure Dublin wins its share of business from leads generated.
- Leverage Dublin’s knowledge economy, sectoral strengths, and wealth of FDI companies to attract business events.
In parallel the Smart Dublin Tourism programme will support innovation and drive positive transformation within the destination. It uses technology, data analysis and digitalisation to build more accessible, sustainable, and equitable destinations, ultimately creating more inclusive prosperity for locals and better experiences for visitors.
The goal of our Smart Tourism programme is to establish Dublin as world-leading ‘Smart Destination’ through innovative projects, research, and partnerships. The Smart Tourism programme identifies cutting-edge developments and technology trends in tourism and explores how Dublin can make the most of these new innovations.
What new developments have we seen in Dublin and Ireland in terms of events infrastructure?
When the pandemic hit in 2020, it provided the Irish trade and indeed our teams at Fáilte Ireland with the opportunity to look at potential investments in order to future proof the business events industry.
Some of the investments that were launched during and since the pandemic are described below.
Gala Dinner Venues Investment Scheme
The lack of unique gala dinner venues of scale both in Dublin and regionally has long been an impediment to the growth of the Irish business events industry – in fact this gap has resulted in an estimated loss of €100m revenue over a five-year period.
To stimulate the development of unique gala dinner venues of scale, Fáilte Ireland launched a Gala Dinner Venues Investment Scheme in 2022, which is a small capital investment scheme, that aims to support the development of up to seven ‘wow’ gala dinner venues of scale in the environs of Ireland’s premier business tourism hubs ie Dublin, Cork, Kerry, the Shannon Region and Galway. The scheme offers investment grants of up to €200,000 per project. Targeting this gap in the business events segment will ensure recovery and growth of revenue which is central to Fáilte Ireland’s sustainable growth agenda.
Luxury and Incentive Experiences
Another new initiative that Fáilte Ireland has invested in is the development 100 new luxury experiences in Ireland. Fáilte Ireland has provided a training and mentoring programme to help launch these experiences and a similar initiative is underway to provide similar support for an exciting new range of incentive experiences. Both programmes have acted as a quality assurance mechanism and provided a proper understanding of the needs and requirements of this market.
Hotel infrastructure Investment
The Dublin hotel market has been experiencing a period of growth and expansion in recent years, with this increase in supply as a direct response to growing underlying demand within the market. In 2020 alone some 2,500 additional bedrooms were planned specifically in hotels that cater for business events.
Below is an example of a selection of some of the investments in new business events product in Dublin and in regional Ireland and includes both hotels and events space.
Dublin Royal Convention Centre, Dublin City
Dublin’s Radisson Blu Royal Hotel is a go-to for meetings and events in the capital, and now the hotel is set to open a purpose-built convention centre. Due to open its doors to visitors this month, Dublin Royal Convention Centre can accommodate up to 800 delegates in the heart of Dublin City, spanning 1,150 sqm over two floors.
Conveniently located behind the hotel, the new meetings and events centre will add to the 15 newly refurbished meeting rooms already available at the Radisson Blu Royal. The modern four-star hotel boasts excellent conference facilities to ensure delegates make the most of their meetings; afterwards, they can unwind upstairs in one of 233 rooms and suites or enjoy a meal at the in-house restaurant.
The Cashel Palace, Co Tipperary
Located in the heart of Co. Tipperary – one of the best places to visit in 2022, according to Condé Nast Traveller – The Cashel Palace is a perfect setting for business tourists looking for an enchanting luxury experience.
Previously home to Ireland’s 18th-century archbishops, this expertly renovated property opened in March this year with 42 bedrooms, a state-of-the-art spa, and private access for guests to the Rock of Cashel, the most iconic cluster of medieval buildings in Ireland. Featuring 11 on-site meeting facilities, including The Secret Garden, Mikey Ryan’s Bar & Kitchen and The Grand Ballroom, each location has capacity for any number of guests ranging from 12 to 290.
The Samuel Hotel, Dublin City
The Samuel is one of Dublin city centre’s newest hotels and event spaces. Open in April this year, the stylish hotel features four meeting spaces equipped with the latest Clevertouch technology and a dedicated events team to coordinate your experience from start to finish.
Meetings may be hosted on the private mezzanine floor flooded with natural light with a buzzing drinks reception for the evening at the vibrant hotel bar.
Clayton Cardiff Lane Conference Centre, Dublin City
Staying in the capital, Clayton Cardiff Lane‘s new conference centre in Dublin’s Docklands has been designed with sustainability at its heart. Using innovative mechanical and electrical systems to minimise the building’s carbon footprint, the conference centre has been built in line with Clayton Hotels’ Living Green environmental movement. The venue uses low energy LED lighting and cutting-edge building materials designed to decrease energy consumption and create the perfect setting for an eco-friendly business tourism event.
Hotel67 at The Gleneagle Hotel, Co. Kerry
Renowned for conference and business events of scale, The Gleneagle Hotel has embraced an era of change. Through major investment and innovation, the hotel has increased its capacity to 279 rooms and added a unique property to its accommodation offering.
The recently opened Hotel67 is a hotel within a hotel, built in the original foundations of The Gleneagle. Featuring 24 guestrooms in one of the most scenic parts of Ireland, Hotel67 offers an unforgettable business tourism experience in the heart of The Kingdom.
With five new high-spec meeting rooms due to launch this year, and the INEC conference and events space located next door, locations don’t get much better than this.
What is your favourite success story from your organisation from the past 2 years?
Our favourite success story focuses on sustainability and specifically on two regions within Ireland, counties Kerry and Limerick, that are leading the charge in terms of their green credentials. The team at Meet in Ireland work very closely with our Regional Convention Bureaux who are been extremely proactive in their quest to play their part in future proofing sustainability in their respective regions.
Kerry is situated on the Southwest Coast of Ireland and is renowned as the home of Irish tourism, with its incredible mountain scenery, rugged coastline and a rich heritage of history and culture. Kerry Convention Bureau in partnership with Meet in Ireland is constantly striving to work with its members to innovate and improve on new ways to be more sustainable, pushing to bring this green agenda to the forefront of the industry.
Kerry made its first entry on to the Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS-Index) in 2018 and in 2019, was delighted to be ranked #20. In just one year, Kerry moved up 17 places on the Index and secured the #1 position on the Most Improved Destination leader board. 2021 saw Kerry continue its rise, with the region ranking #13 on the Global Destination Sustainability Index and for this year it has managed to retain this ranking, cementing its position as Ireland’s leading Sustainable Tourism destination.
In addition to Kerry’s impressive ranking on the GDS-Index, Limerick, located in the mid-west is another region that has achieved recognition for its green initiatives. Limerick was awarded the European Green Leaf for 2020. The announcement was made following adjudication by a panel of international experts at an event in Oslo, Norway, which is the city that held the European Green Capital title for 2019.
Limerick was commended for its ongoing investments leading to improved air quality and noise levels in the city. Limerick is currently transforming itself into Ireland’s first digital city, integrating several public services, creating smart homes and buildings, energy districts and smart neighbourhoods.
Tell us more about the importance of sustainability for attracting events to Ireland and how are you shaping your sustainability agenda?
For over ten years, Fáilte Ireland has employed the internationally recognised VICE approach to sustainable tourism focusing on the interaction between Visitors (V), the industry (I) that serves them, the Community and culture that hosts them (C) and their collective impact on and response to the Environment (E) to guide the future sustainable development of tourism. By employing the VICE model, it ensures that all of the UN SDGs are considered in our actions and development plans.
Fáilte Ireland is committed to working towards ensuring that the tourism sector plays its part to help deliver Ireland’s commitments under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and under Ireland’s 2021 Climate Action Plan. Fáilte Ireland will adhere to these plans during the lifetime of this strategy.
As a host nation for globally responsible conferences, Ireland’s Business Events hubs – Dublin, Cork, Kerry, Galway and the Shannon Region – already have a positive track record when it comes to sustainability, accessibility and diversity. Each of our bureaux are members of the Global Destination Sustainability Index, striving each year to improve our scoring and therefore assure meeting planners that by choosing Ireland they will be aligning their event with positive values and a strong community ethos.
Climate change impacts us all. We all have a responsibility to ourselves, our planet and the next generation to take decisive action to tackle this critical issue. With Fáilte Ireland’s launch of its Climate Action Roadmap, and a suite of expert support guides for the industry, we are supporting the reduction of carbon emissions and food waste and ensuring that these stories are told. A carbon calculator will help tourism businesses measure their carbon footprint and allow them to develop a robust action plan to reduce those emissions.
There are many ways in which conferences in Ireland can align with globally responsible principles. For example, by adopting a ‘sustainability agenda’ as a core feature – integrating vegetarian food and locally sourced produce into the programme menus, depending on the requirements of the delegates. Eliminating single-use plastic from events is easy with many great Irish companies offering custom-made keep cups and water bottles that can be designed in line with an event’s brand identity.
Which aspects of the events industry do you think should be reinvented or reconsidered?
With the arrival of Covid-19 in March 2020 came the halt in international travel. During the 24 months that followed, the business events team in Fáilte Ireland worked tirelessly to provide much needed support to trade partners to aid the survival of the Irish business events industry. This timeframe also provided us with the opportunity to reflect on what had been working well, what was not working, including elements of our business events strategy that might benefit from change.
Sustainability, in its widest possible interpretation, is increasingly incorporated into bid and event criteria for association conferences and corporate meetings. We believe that Ireland and indeed the global events industry needs to respond more proactively to this trend – both in terms of our sustainability actions but also in the way we help event planners and clients measure the success or effectiveness of a conference beyond the traditional return on investment and economic outputs.
We also believe that there is an opportunity to leverage this further and maximise the value of business events, not only through the direct benefit of business visitor spending, but also indirectly, through ‘value beyond tourism’ (VBT). To this end, Ireland has shifted its focus and is actively partnering with associations and corporate organisations that can bring – and increasingly wish to bring –demonstratable R&D, knowledge expansion, educational, socio-cultural and legacy benefits to the country.
Securing the Autism-Europe Congress 2025 for Ireland is evidence of how this strategic shift has impacted the type of events we are attracting to Ireland. The Autism-Europe Congress is a conference that is run every three years and is one of the largest meetings on autism in the world. The Congress is attended by approximately 2,000 delegates over 3-4 days, and it took place this year in Krakow, Poland in October. According to the Conference Ambassador, ‘Hosting this Congress in Ireland would build the capacity of community members, researchers and clinicians working in the field in Ireland and would also influence the direction of autism policy at a European level in the years ahead.’
Another such conference is the International Prader-Willi Syndrome Organisation conference, which took place at the University of Limerick from July 6th to 10th 2022. This conference had contributions from scientific, clinical, and care provider professionals from around the globe.
The vision of the International Prada-Willi Syndrome Organisation is to work to achieve a world where people with Prada-Willi Syndrome (PWS) and their families receive the services and support they need to fulfil their potential and achieve their goals. The organisation does this by working with families, professionals and researchers from around the world, helping to link people together and inspiring them to share ideas and knowledge about how best to manage Prader-Willi Syndrome.
As part of the conference, an Interdisciplinary Day on Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) was held with principals, teachers, SNAs and other educational professionals who support a pupil with PWS to learn practical strategies to support positive behaviours, creating a safe whole school environment.
The conference received positive local media which can be viewed here.
The conferences referenced above are examples of the kind of events we wish to attract to Ireland – those that will make a positive mark both in local communities and globally, those that give back, creating positive legacy.
What are Ireland’s key vertical markets? How is the Fáilte Ireland team leveraging expertise in these fields to attract events in these sectors?
Ireland is famed for its innovative spirit – a small nation with a big reputation for advancements in global tech, science, and aviation. Over 1,200 overseas companies working in sectors like ICT, Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare, Financial and International Services have chosen Ireland as their European headquarters. Ireland is rich with key thinkers, influencers, and innovators at the forefront of many sectors and has a proven fertile territory for ground-breaking association conferences. Ireland’s key sectoral strengths are outlined below;
Agriculture
Ireland has traditionally been known as the Emerald Isle for good reason — it more than lives up to the name thanks to its fertile soil, temperate climate and abundant rainfall. These ideal conditions also explain why agriculture has become one of Ireland’s most important indigenous manufacturing sectors. Today, Irish food and drink thrives on the global stage, with our homegrown industry exporting to 180 countries worldwide. Ireland’s increasing impact in this sector is proven by Food Wise 2025, which anticipates an 85% increase in the value of our exports along with a 65% increase in the value of primary production.
Bio-Pharma
Across Ireland, the bio-pharma sector is reaching new heights as it discovers, innovates and manufactures new medicines to help improve health outcomes internationally. Ireland’s connections offer great networking potential, giving access to both leading companies and experts within the field. The sector accounts for over €80 billion in revenue each year. Our growing influence here is proven by capital investment of almost €10 billion in new facilities, which sees Ireland ride the biggest wave of investment in new biotech facilities of anywhere in the world.
Engineering
Our passion for engineering is reflected in the numbers, with a broad range of companies from various fields including automotive, aerospace, industrial automation, and engineering services. Research and development (R&D) is an important part of the engineering landscape in Ireland: we are dedicated to the cutting-edge and by facilitating collaborations between academics and applied research partners, we are now a world-class destination for networking, incentive trips and conferences.
Finance
Ireland has built a highly successful international financial services industry over the last three decades. Servicing every major world economy and over 40% of all global hedge fund assets, Ireland’s financial credentials mean that influential thought leaders regularly meet here to announce new innovations, share insights and forge partnerships that shape the future of finance.
ICT
Ireland is at the heart of Europe’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and software sector. As one of the top priorities of our economy, Ireland’s ICT industry is rich in expertise, innovation and development — while Dublin has quickly become known as one of the tech start-up capitals of Europe. ICT in Ireland means hosting eight out of the top 10 global information technology companies (like HP, IBM and Apple) as well as creative game companies like Big Fish, EA and Jolt. The ICT sector in Ireland attracts global talent as well as homegrown researchers, developers, and entrepreneurs. High quality technical talent is readily available in the nation, due in part to the strong partnerships forged between government, industry and third-level institutions.
Medical
Supplying medical technology to 95 of the top 100 countries (by GDP), with exports accounting for €12.6 billion in exports annually, Ireland has been playing a vital role in medical technology for over 40 years. Ireland also boasts an incredibly strong services, contract research and manufacturing base; in fact, 50% of the companies located here are in the business-to-business space. The team at Meet in Ireland has in recent years developed and deepened relationships with organisations beyond the business events sector. To develop ‘Value Beyond Tourism’ – e.g., R&D, knowledge expansion, educational, socio-cultural and legacy benefits – the team at Meet in Ireland has worked and developed partnerships with associations and corporate organisations that can bring these benefits. The team has developed a ‘Team Ireland’ programme, working with semi-state organisations (notably for Foreign Direct Investment, Science and Education) to help develop these relationships. For the association sector, this has meant aligning with the priority industry sectors and training resources, to be experts in these fields.
Why is Ireland such an attractive destination to the US market?
Ireland excels as a destination for world-class conferences, incentives and meetings and has a loyal fan base particularly in North America. Irish heritage is strong in America with more than 31.5 million residents claiming Irish ancestry, second only to German (43.0 million). This has resulted a unique link and warm relationship between Americans and the Emerald Isle with many including a trip to Ireland on their bucket list.
Here are some other reasons why Ireland is an attractive destination to this market;
- Easy to get to
Access to Ireland is easy from most parts of the world and it could not be more convenient for US delegates, with a six-hour flight from the east coast of the United States. In addition, it is the only country in Europe to offer U.S Customs and Immigration pre-clearance prior to departure, travelling back to the U.S from Ireland couldn’t be more convenient.
- Uniquely Irish Experiences
A conference or meeting is a chance for thought leaders and influencers to gather and share ideas – but it’s also an opportunity for international colleagues to make memories together. US delegates that come to the Emerald Isle are drawn to Ireland’s traditional social programme activities with their rich authentic spirit, from story-telling sessions in thatched-roof cottages to archery lessons on the grounds of a fairy-tale castle.
- Scenic locations and landscapes
From the capital city of Dublin to the rugged reaches of Cork and Kerry in the southwest, Ireland is a rich tapestry of landscapes – woven together with history and natural beauty. Each of Ireland’s facets, which include state-of-the-art contemporary convention centres, boutique hotels, art and culture hotspots and quaint seaside towns are perfectly suited to stage international meetings and conferences – whatever their size.
What one piece of advice would you give yourself back in early 2020, knowing what you now?
With every challenge comes opportunity. Looking back to 2020 the single piece of advice I would share with myself is ‘This too shall pass’.
During Covid-19, the business events team at Fáilte Ireland had the honour of standing side by side with trade partners to help them survive. The nature of our work completely changed, and we had to flex and adapt to the needs of our industry partners. Our work focus shifted to supporting business survival throughout the most challenging time for our industry, and we developed and implemented a re-boot plan so that together we could create our best future.
During the pandemic, industry partners pulled together to fight for sector survival and to set ourselves up to build back better. The Irish Government recognised the importance of the tourism and events industry and provided much needed supports to aid survival. Fáilte Ireland’s Business Continuity Programme is an example of a scheme designed to support strategic tourism businesses survival through the pandemic. This scheme provided Tourism Accommodation businesses, Inbound Agents and attraction and activity providers with much needed assistance to withstand the challenges and continuing impact of COVID-19, offering direct financial contribution to support their business continuity plans, covering areas such as fixed costs, seeking to position them to continue operating into the future.
Collaboration, collective thinking and problem solving was the order of the day to help find solutions to challenges that we had never experienced. We came together as an industry and helped each other manage uncertainty, cancellations, rescheduling of events, and in some cases, we simply provided human support to our fellow colleagues. Covid-19 has taught us that we are a truly resilient industry and that by pulling together we can emerge stronger from a crisis.
