Fáilte Ireland honours 109 conference ambassadors for attracting global events, delivering €117m to the economy and advancing Business Events 2030 strategy.
Fáilte Ireland has recognised the efforts of 109 leading academics and industry figures who helped secure major international conferences for Ireland, generating an estimated €117 million for the economy over the past two years.
The Conference Ambassador Recognition Awards, held at the Royal Dublin Society last week, celebrated individuals who hosted events between 2023 and 2024.
“Our conference ambassadors are true champions for Ireland on the global stage”
These ambassadors play a central role in the Irish government’s Business Events 2030 strategy, which aims to position Ireland as a world-class destination for business travel and knowledge exchange.
Excelling at events
Professor Cathal Gurrin of Dublin City University was named Conference Ambassador of the Year. Since 2011, he has brought multiple high-profile events to Ireland, worth a combined €6.4 million.
Among them was the 45th European Conference on Information Retrieval in 2023, which contributed €470,000 to the local economy. Gurrin said more conferences are already in the pipeline.
Two special awards highlighted sustainability and social impact. The Sustainability Award went to the 35th International Geographical Congress 2024, organised by Dr Niamh Moore-Cherry of University College Dublin and Professor Frances Fahy of the University of Galway. The Social Impact Award was presented to Dr Lyndsey El Amoud for leading the 54th European University Continuing Education Network Conference at University College Cork.
Since its launch in 2009, the Conference Ambassador Programme has supported nearly 3,500 leaders in bidding for events worth approximately €2.9 billion.
These conferences, often scheduled outside peak tourist season, deliver significant economic and social benefits. International delegates are estimated to spend more than two and a half times the amount of leisure tourists.
“I congratulate all of the ambassadors recognised at the awards,” said Peter Burke, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment.
“Their success in attracting international conferences is helping to deliver the Business Events 2030 strategy, which sets out our ambition to position Ireland as a sustainable, world-class destination for business travel.”
Caroline Bocquel, chief executive of Fáilte Ireland, added: “Our conference ambassadors are true champions for Ireland on the global stage. Their dedication and expertise have delivered €117 million to our economy over two years and showcased Ireland as a destination for innovation and collaboration.”
Professor Cathal Gurrin of Dublin City University with Ruth Andrews, chairperson, Fáilte Ireland. Photo: Fintan Clarke/Coalesce
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