the crossroads of tradition and innovation, offering a world-class framework for business events, corporate meetings and incentive travel.

Ireland’ s Business Events 2030 Strategy formally recognises the value of the meetings sector, and with good reason. In the Republic of Ireland, business events contribute more than € 1 billion a year to the economy and support 22,000 jobs. North and south, the island combines accessibility, strong infrastructure and genuine hospitality. Its cities offer state-of-theart venues, seamless connectivity and a lively spirit that welcomes visitors from every corner of the globe.

Sitting on the western edge of Europe, the Republic of Ireland is the EU’ s only native English-speaking country, which makes it easy both to reach and to do business with. Airports at Dublin, Shannon, Cork, Kerry, Knock, Derry and Belfast open up the whole island, and the US East Coast is around six hours away. Dublin and Shannon are also the only airports in Europe to offer US pre-clearance, so transatlantic delegates complete border formalities before departure and arrive in the States as domestic passengers.

All of this makes Ireland a natural hub for incentive programmes and corporate meetings. Award-winning researchers, thriving regional businesses and more than 1,200 multinational companies together create a genuinely international, cross-cultural pool of talent and expertise. The island is also home to 14 universities, more than 80 hospitals and 45 centres of excellence, which makes it a strong match for

association congresses in fields from life sciences to technology.

Each of the leading cities brings its own character, from the cosmopolitan energy of Dublin and Belfast to the cultural charm of the regional centres. Planners can choose from more than 230 venues and hotel event spaces, over

Top left: Ross Castle, Killarney National Park, Co Kerry

Bottom left: Carrick-a-Rede, Co Antrim

Opposite: Jaunting car tour, Killarney National

Park, Co Kerry

65,000 hotel rooms, several purposebuilt convention centres and a host of truly unique spaces.

Getting here is easy; leaving may be harder. Ireland’ s breathtaking landscapes, historic sites and deep-rooted culture of hospitality give delegates plenty to enjoy once the meetings are over, and many organisers build‘ bleisure’( a blend of both business and leisure travel) extensions into their programmes.

The options are almost endless: a private literary walking tour, a round on a championship links course, a wellness retreat overlooking the Atlantic or an immersive journey through the island’ s heritage. Experiences here are centred on people, from traditional music sessions in a local pub and walks along scenic coastal paths to storytelling in thatched cottages and archery lessons on castle grounds that look straight out of a fairy tale. Whether attendees are foodies, outdoor adventurers or high performers in need of some downtime, Ireland offers a rich mix of‘ extraordinary’ activities.

Sustainability has become a defining feature of Ireland’ s business events sector, and the island is positioning itself at the forefront of responsible event practice. From initial planning through delivery to post-event evaluation, sustainability is now built into every stage of the event lifecycle. Practical measures include greater use of public transport, shared transfers and carbon-measurement programmes for delegate travel. This goes beyond marketing: comprehensive strategies, innovative initiatives, measurable impacts and rigorous evaluation are changing how business events are conceived, planned and delivered across the island. n