Ireland
Ireland: a powerhouse for knowledge-driven business events
T ourism Ireland works
with government departments and a wide range of stakeholders to make sure the business events sector supports the country’ s economic, social and environmental goals. The aim is for business events to be more than tourism – they are catalysts for knowledge exchange, investment and talent attraction. Ireland’ s business events sector aims to align with its sectoral strengths, attracting international gatherings that drive research, investment and global collaboration.
The key sectors Agri-food: The Emerald Isle owes its name to fertile soil, a temperate climate and abundant rainfall, which helps explain why agri-food has become one of Ireland’ s most important indigenous industries. Irish food and drink thrives on the global stage: according to Bord Bia, exports rose 12 % in 2025 to a record € 19 billion. Leading the way is Irish
Below: Biopharma whiskey, one of the world’ s fastestgrowing spirits categories. In 1975 there were just two working distilleries on the island; today the Irish Whiskey Association counts around 50, with some 3.5 million casks maturing across Ireland.
Biopharma: Ireland is one of the world’ s leading exporters of pharmaceuticals. Exports of medical and pharmaceutical products reached almost € 100 billion in 2024, around 45 % of all goods exports, according to the Central Statistics Office. The country is home to more than 85 biopharmaceutical companies, including all of the world’ s top 10 pharmaceutical firms. Around € 10 billion has been invested in new biopharma production facilities over the past decade. That depth of expertise makes Ireland a natural host for scientific congresses and industry meetings in the life sciences.
36 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / ISSUE 145