Failte Ireland hoping to attract more business conferences

Failte Ireland has called on employers and entrepreneurs to help attract more international business conferences to the country.

The tourism promotion body said such conferences were already worth €400m to the Irish economy every year.

It said business tourists spent an average of 70% more than leisure travellers.

Failte Ireland's John Rafferty said: "Most Irish businesspeople are involved in some way with an international association, so any businesspeople who consider that there is an opportunity to work with them to bring conferences to Ireland, we would be delighted to support them in any way we can."