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Irish business tourism has taken a dramatic upward surge over the past year according to a report released by the leading conference organisers in the country. The Association of Irish Professional Organisers (AIPCO) has seen their members facilitate a three-fold increase in the value their business brings to the Irish economy over the past year.
It is predicted that 70,000 foreign travellers will visit Ireland to attend conferences and events organised by AIPCO members in 2012, with their value to the economy estimated at €104 million. This is a 326% increase on the 2011 figure, and is indicative of Ireland’s new found ability to host multiple major events across the country.
"Ireland has positioned itself as a haven for business tourism, with every effort made to make it easy to do business here"said Jean Evans, Chairperson of AIPCO "the concerted efforts being made by all stakeholders in the sector is really paying off in terms of what value we bring to the table. We sometimes forget that we are not only facilitating business meetings, we are creating jobs and value to the Irish economy."
The number of delegates attending AIPCO conferences in Ireland has risen 318% over a three year period. While some of this increase can be accounted for by the Eucharistic Congress taking place this year, the large majority of the new business is spread across all AIPCO members, with the new facilities at the Convention Centre Dublin allowing Ireland to go after a greater range of conferences and events.
"The investment in business tourism facilities over the last decade is beginning to bear fruit now" said Susan Nolan, Vice Chair of AIPCO "We’re one of the top destinations in the world right now and we want to continue to improve. The conference sector can often lag two years behind the economy as that is when business is won, so to get these results at what we hope to be the tail-end of the recession is more than just encouraging, it’s exciting."
A major beneficiary of this increase is the hotel and university accommodation sector, with €35.2 million spent by business travellers coming to Ireland, equating to 250,000 room nights in 2012. At a time of major financial upheaval in the hospitality sector, the AIPCO figures are welcome news.
"Business tourism is increasingly becoming a cornerstone of our business model, with major investments going into this area" said Christoph Haustein, Director of Sales & Marketing at Tifco Hotels "it allows for a greater control over revenue streams and allows genuine forward planning – something that is not always possible with the seasonal whims of traditional tourism."
The overall value of business tourism to the Irish economy is 500 million euros, according to Failte Ireland, the national tourism body. The fastest growing sector in world tourism, business tourism is growing right across Europe, with a significant increase in 2011 figures.
"We’re coming out of that dangerous part of the recession. European leaders are trying to figure out the next steps to recovery, whether that is through austerity or investment" said Jean Evans "But we in the Irish tourism industry are seeing the direct benefits of structural investment and are determined to take advantage of it, creating jobs and stimulating growth. Give us the tools and we will deliver the results."
AIPCO is a non-profit association composed of eight member organisations. Founded in 1999, it is the premier professional association for conference organisers in Ireland.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
