Saturday, 13 September 2025
Ireland Launches Business Events 2030: A Strategic Vision for Sustainable Growth Ireland has officially launched Business Events 2030, a new national strategy aimed at transforming the country into a global leader in high-value business events. Unveiled by Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke TD, at the Convention Centre Dublin in April 2025, the […]
Ireland has officially launched Business Events 2030, a new national strategy aimed at transforming the country into a global leader in high-value business events. Unveiled by Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke TD, at the Convention Centre Dublin in April 2025, the strategy outlines a bold and ambitious roadmap to grow the business events sector by an average of 8% annually through 2030.
Developed by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, in collaboration with Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland, and key industry stakeholders, Business Events 2030 marks a significant evolution in Ireland’s approach to business tourism.
Rather than focusing solely on traditional metrics like visitor numbers or hotel occupancy rates, the strategy embraces a value-over-volume approach—prioritising economic returns, social impact, and environmental sustainability.
There are three key areas of the new strategy to boost tourism:
Business events currently generate over €1 billion for the Irish economy each year.
The sector supports 22,000 jobs and contributes €290 million to the Exchequer.
The strategy seeks to further support over 20,000 SMEs in hospitality, AV, transport, food and beverage, entertainment, and beyond.
Business Events 2030 aims to build stronger communities at the local, sectoral, and national level.
Events are seen as a vehicle for long-term legacy impacts—from knowledge sharing to skills development and local engagement.
Sustainability is central to the strategy, with a commitment to high environmental standards, climate action, and resource efficiency.
It promotes best practices that align with Ireland’s broader climate goals and green credentials.
The strategy reinforces Ireland’s brand as a premier destination for high-value international business events—including conferences, meetings, and exhibitions. It also positions the country as a sustainable and innovative location that offers strong infrastructure, a skilled workforce, and a warm cultural experience.
While the strategy highlights environmental ambition, Business Events 2030 opens a pivotal opportunity to transform what has traditionally been a resource-heavy, carbon-intensive industry. International conferences and exhibitions often involve long-haul flights, energy-intensive venues, and single-use materials.
Ireland’s commitment to sustainability through this strategy could signal a paradigm shift in how business events are designed, including:
Incentivising low-carbon travel options, like train-to-conference packages within Europe,
Promoting certified green venues and zero-waste catering,
Encouraging digital-first or hybrid formats to reduce travel emissions, where feasible.
Fáilte Ireland and other stakeholders could set clear sustainability benchmarks for event organisers, creating a standard that positions Ireland as an environmental leader in the global MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) sector.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Peter Burke TD said:
‘Business Events 2030 represents a significant step forward in our commitment to fostering economic growth through the promotion of Ireland as a fantastic location for business travel. This strategy refocuses our policy, placing more emphasis on economic targets, boosting both our indigenous tourism SMEs and our economy, and highlights Ireland’s eco-friendly credentials when attracting business.’
Business Events 2030 aims to provide direct and indirect benefits to:
Tourism and hospitality providers
Retailers and transport operators
Food and drink manufacturers
Event technology and AV suppliers
Entertainment and creative industries
By elevating the business events sector, the strategy contributes to Ireland’s goal of creating a resilient tourism workforce and driving economic value through collaboration.
Though flagship venues like the Convention Centre Dublin will remain focal points, Business Events 2030 can also be a catalyst for regional development.
Promoting events in locations like:
Cork, Limerick, Galway, or Kilkenny, which have emerging tech and academic hubs,
Rural destinations with heritage venues or eco-certified accommodations,
Islands and coastal areas that can benefit from shoulder season economic activity.
This would diversify Ireland’s business tourism offering and spread the economic benefits more equitably—in line with the National Development Plan and balanced regional growth priorities.
Business Events 2030 is a transformative national strategy that elevates Ireland’s business tourism beyond traditional goals. Through an integrated focus on economic growth, community benefit, and sustainability, the plan sets a clear path for Ireland to become a global leader in high-value business events by the end of the decade.
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