Fáilte Ireland generated over 1.2m referrals to Irish tourism businesses through its online and social media presence last year.
Paul Kelly, CEO of Fáilte Ireland, noted the importance of influencer marketing, pointing to an investment of €165,000 in 11 influencers to boost domestic tourism.
Upcoming attractions include the Dublin Castle Records Tower and the New Farm Trail in Connemara National Park, set to open in 2025.
Fáilte Ireland’s tourism barometer indicated that 46% of businesses reported increased revenue in 2024, despite facing challenges with rising costs and profit margins.
It revealed 46% of businesses increased their revenue in 2024, while 18% had the same, and 36% saw a decrease. The strongest performing sectors were inbound tour operators and destination management companies. In spite of significant cost challenges, 56% of businesses made a profit in 2024, and a further 24% broke even.
CEO Paul Kelly shared “there was a significant increase in Irish people holidaying in Ireland during the pandemic, and those numbers are holding up. “ “we are launching 11 new projects this year, significant capital investment projects to continue to enhance the visitor experience in Ireland. And on top of that, we are going to be continuing to develop our local tourism plans. We’re going to have eight more of those launched this year.
It is really important that we continue to invest and develop that. Businesses haven’t been able to put their prices up by as much as the input costs have come in, so we have seen that the profit margins have been squeezed so that’s a real challenge that businesses face. I think the industry really welcomes the announcement in the Programme for Government around the VAT rate, around employer PRSI reduction, and they certainly will help moderate pricing when they come into play.”
“We have a huge programme of festivals that we support throughout the country. One of the big things we’re doing this year is we’re expanding the Home of Halloween program in order to drive that business with an extended range of supports and festivals across October in order to flesh out that autumn opportunity and particularly the opportunity we’ve worked on with our colleagues from tours in Ireland around for Ireland, which is the authentic home of Halloween and promoting that internationally.”
“The amount of businesses that revenue has spread across grew because we had more accommodation capacity coming into the market and an increase in things to see and do. So that combined with, you know, I set things up well, but it is important to say that there’s significant cost pressures in the business. And, you know, businesses haven’t been able to put their prices up by as much as the input costs have come in.
“We have seen that across last year, the profit margins have been squeezed in businesses. So that’s a real challenge as the business face. But at a revenue level, they are looking, it is looking optimistic for the year ahead.
“Overall at a top line level, we had a good year this year, last year in tourism, where we had revenue up by 15% to 17% across the year. And so that’s kind of put the sector in a good position. It is important to say that volume grew in the sector as well across the year.”
