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Green by nature, sustainable by design: Fáilte Ireland raises the bar for trade events
HELD IN KILLARNEY, MEITHEAL 2025 SHOWCASED HOW IRELAND IS LEADING THE WAY IN SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
I reland, often celebrated as the Emerald Isle, is not only rich in stunning landscapes, vibrant heritage and rugged coastlines – it is now leading the charge in sustainable tourism.
Meitheal is the Irish word for teamwork. Failte Ireland’ s annual flagship travel trade event is aptly named Meitheal, bringing groups of buyers and suppliers together to support sustainable growth in Irish tourism.
Fáilte Ireland committed to delivering this year’ s event( 1-2 April) in as sustainable a manner as possible, improving practices year on year. Meitheal 2025 was held in the breathtaking surroundings of Killarney, County Kerry – ranked Ireland’ s most sustainable destination and # 19 globally on the 2024 Global Destination Sustainability Index – and proved that business events and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand.
Organised by Fáilte Ireland, Ireland’ s National Tourism Development Authority, in partnership with Tourism Ireland, this year’ s event brought together over 380 Irish tourism businesses and 255 international buyers from 15 countries, with over 10,000 scheduled sales meetings, anticipated to result in significant new business deals for the sector. Marking 50 years
Left: Welcome reception, The Europe Hotel & Resort, Killarney, County Kerry of Ireland hosting tourism trade events, Meitheal 2025 was more than just a celebration of longevity.
Leading with purpose As a government-appointed Sustainable Development Goal( SDG) Ambassador, Fáilte Ireland actively promotes, raises awareness, and implements the SDGs at local, regional, and national levels. As stewards of Ireland’ s global reputation as a leading destination for Business Events, Fáilte Ireland has been proactively embedding responsible practices into every aspect of its work. Meitheal became the embodiment of this mission. From carbon-conscious travel choices to food waste management and community engagement, every decision was made with environmental and social impact in mind.
This year saw the launch of Meitheal’ s Sustainability Policy, which outlines 10 commitments aligned with seven of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals( SDGs). These commitments guided the event’ s approach across the economic, environmental, and social dimensions, aligning with the core focus of sustainability in Ireland’ s National Tourism Policy Framework 2025 – 2030. Read the Meitheal Sustainability policy on the Failte Ireland website.
Meitheal in action: Sustainability at every step
• Travel with a lighter footprint – This year sustainable transport options were encouraged with delegates traveling around Ireland by coach. This travel choice reduces emissions by approximately 4.5 times compared to short-haul flights.
Left: Meitheal 2025, INEC Arena, County Kerry
Welcome reception, The Europe Hotel & Resort, Killarney
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