Chair of the Association of Visitor Experiences and Attractions (AVEA) Anne O’Donoghue said the association has welcomed 15 new members in 2024 and five more since July 2025. Rising operating costs and shorter visitor stays are impacting profitability, particularly for attractions outside major tourism hubs.
Collaboration with Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland ensures attractions are promoted in both international and domestic markets. Legislation addressing airport capacity and investments in regional airports supports access for regional tourism businesses. Overseas tourism to Ireland generated €6.9bn in 2024, with projections to reach €9bn by 2030.
Anne O’Donoghue shared: “Without your continuing support, there could be no AVEA, no unified voice for this Viking tourism sector. Visitors continue to cite landscape, culture, and heritage, which is the very essence of AVEA as their primary motivations for choosing a destination.”
There’s little a doubt that the time we’re living in could be classified as anything other than very interesting indeed. Our tourism industry in general and the visitor experiences and attraction sector in particular is experiencing some troubling headlines. Overseas visitor numbers and spend a damn year to date, and I suppose a worrying shorting length of stay threatens to impact that second and third day visit, which, of course, is the lifeblood of many of our members, particularly outside the tourism hotspots. This is happening at a time when an escalating operating costs are squeezing profitability for many of us, for many of the members.
In this context, AVEA is more vey than ever, providing a unified voice and actively advocating for the sector, reminding for my variety of stakeholders of the enormity of our contribution in delivering the most genuine of experiences, those warm cud weapons, and truly authentic experiences that celebrate our landscape, our culture, our heritage, the primary motives that visitors call out when they’re choosing Ireland as a holiday destination.
Whatever the challenges today, we can take heart in the future of our industry, and I know that the opportunity for our sector is brought. The impulse for international travel remains strong in our key markets. Visitors continue to site landscape, culture, and heritage, which is the very essence of AVEA as their primary motivations for choosing a destination.
Our tours and offering here will continue to grow and develop. Air and sea access in terms of capacities, strong, and in general, the out;ook is positive. Legislation is being brought forward to address the cap of the airport, and there has been a welcome extension of services and investment of regional airports in particular, which, of course, benefits many regional members.
Overseas tourism the island of Ireland, was worth €6.9bn in 2024 and is set to grow to over €9m by 2030. We at AVEA, we are ambitious for our members across the island to play a growing part in realising that ambition and to share in its dividend.
Collaboration and innovation will underpin our operations in the year ahead and the services that we provide to you as members to AVEA that objectives so that we’re all continuing to thrive, doing what we do best, welcoming and inspiring holiday makers from home and abroad.”
