Tourism Ireland calculates in overseas visitor revenue reached €6.9bn in 2024, with a projected increase to €9bn by 2030, the AVEA conference was told.
A panel session of Eoghan O’Mara Walsh, Alice Mansergh and Paul Keeley discussed the impact opf tourism on the local economo=y.
The organisation supports 1,000 commercial partnerships annually, generating €17m in business for SMEs in the first half of 2025.
A new brand campaign for 2026 features visitor attractions like Cong Abbey and Johnstown Castle, targeting 7.5m social media followers.
North America accounts for one-third of visitors, with a 15pc increase in air seat capacity from the USA in Q4 2025.
Destination Experience Development Plans (DEDPs) integrate attractions and local authorities to extend visitor dwell time across Ireland.
Alice Mansergh shared: “We’re setting ourselves a goal of helping at least a thousand SMEs for those overseas platforms.”
Paul Keeley shared: “Attractions and activities give you the reason to visit the location.”
Eoghan O’Mara Walsh shared: “We need to reach out to different audiences that we reached before and show them that this is an aspirational holiday destination for high-income individuals.”
