State lands hosting rights to €50m worth of business tourism events

The Convention Centre, Dublin. Fáilte Ireland has confirmed that 85 international conferences, worth €48.5m and due to take place between 2021 and 2027, have been secured.

Fáilte Ireland has secured hosting status for Ireland of nearly €50m worth of international business events taking place over the next six years.

The agency has confirmed that 85 international conferences, worth €48.5m and due to take place between 2021 and 2027, have been secured.

The National Tourism Development Agency is also targeting further business tourism event wins from its attendance at IMEX America, one of the largest global meetings industry trade shows in the world, which takes place this month.

Conferences such as the Transport Research Arena 2024 and the International Federation for Home Economics World Congress 2024 have already been secured.

Fáilte Ireland also said that almost half of the international conferences already confirmed will be held in locations outside of Dublin.

“For a small country, Ireland has always punched above its weight in winning business events. Prior to Covid-19, business tourism had been one of the fastest-growing segments of the Irish tourism industry, contributing more than €716m annually to the economy and supporting up to 20,000 jobs,” said Fáilte Ireland chief executive Paul Kelly.

This sector is highly specialised, lucrative, and high yielding for Ireland because each business tourism visitor generates almost three times the tourism revenue than that of a leisure tourist.

"Tradeshows like IMEX America are a key opportunity to leverage our work over the past 18 months and secure major overseas meetings, conferences, and events for the years ahead,” added Fáilte Ireland’s head of commercial development Paul Mockler.