The Government have recently announced their new National Tourism Policy, to boost Irish tourism. It has been dubbed ‘A New Era for Irish Tourism’ by Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke.
The government aims to grow overseas tourism revenue to €9 billion by 2031, and domestic tourism revenue to €5.8 billion by 2031. The plan also sets out to increase tourism employment by at least 9% by 2031 (compared to 2024).
Other key goals outlined in the new policy include growing the sector in the off-peak season (October to May), a 7% (per annum) increase in visitors to Ireland, and for tourism-related C02 emissions to be cut by 45% by 2030.
Currently, tourism accounts for almost 10% of Irish jobs, and is “a key driver of economic growth, job creation, and balanced regional development” (National Tourism Policy).
The Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) have welcomed the news, which will be a turning point for hotels and the wider tourism industry across the country.
