Last week, the Irish government unveiled a major five-year tourism development programme worth €4.7bn. Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke called the opportunities opening up “a very exciting outlook” and said he would personally oversee the strategy’s implementation. The plan includes 71 specific actions and affects virtually all parts of the sector.
The programme’s basic parameters already give an idea of its ambitions:
- €4.7bn in investment over five years;
- 230,000 jobs supported by the sector (one in ten jobs in the country);
- 46,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the tourism sector;
- visitor numbers have been rising for the fourth month in a row;
- in November, arrivals rose by 13%, and visitor spending totalled about €347m (+10%);
- €300m allocated for decarbonisation;
- emissions target: minus 45% by 2030 relative to the 2018 level.
Why tourism is considered a pillar of Ireland’s economy
According to Burke, the tourism sector remains the country’s largest “home-grown” part of the economy. “It is crucial to have a very strong tourism sector,” the minister stressed, adding that the new strategy is intended to “lock in growth” for the industry. Support for small business and employment, especially outside Dublin, is central to the programme’s logic.
The minister separately highlighted the effect for rural areas. In his assessment, it is regional communities that will benefit “significantly” from the new investment. This thesis became one of the key arguments in defence of such large budget commitments.
Experts point to the impressive potential of rural tourism in Ireland. One important factor that makes it possible to count on the high popularity of this area is widespread internet access. In Ireland, even outside the cities you can not only make video calls without difficulty, but also use various formats of online entertainment.
The quality of the internet connection makes it possible to watch films and series on Netflix, YouTube, use music services like Spotify, and play online games, including online casinos.
Ordinary websites generally load very quickly. We confirmed this ourselves by opening several websites of online stores and municipal services. We also reviewed an overview resource available here, which contains information about online casinos with no deposit bonuses. The authors of the site research offers from well-known iGaming brands and describe them for readers. Despite the fact that there is a lot of information about bonuses on the site, its simple design makes it quite fast in operation. However, even more technically complex websites also load quite well. In addition, the internet is characterized by a stable signal with minimal interruptions. This makes it possible to stream a wide variety of content, which attracts bloggers to Ireland.
A modern tourist wants to stay connected at all times and be able to access their favourite entertainment at any moment, whether they’re in Ireland or Canada. Undoubtedly, accessible internet is a big plus in travellers’ eyes.
Recasting policy after the change of department
Burke positions the programme as a clear break with the previous approach. After the tourism portfolio was transferred to the enterprise department, the approach to the sector, he said, changed. The minister stated that he had “overhauled” the policy pursued under previous governments and intends to be guided by data rather than inertia.
His criticism of predecessors is specific: in recent years, resources were cut in key areas, including the Asia-Pacific region, the UAE and North America. Now the department intends to “mirror” marketing efforts in those places where new transport corridors are opening up.
27 transatlantic routes and staff “on the ground”
A clear illustration of the new logic is North America, where there are 27 direct routes to Ireland. Among recent launches, Burke cited flights from Detroit, Nashville and Denver. The ministry plans to align each new flight with promotional resources so that improved accessibility translates more quickly into actual visitor numbers.
In parallel, via Tourism Ireland, staff “on the ground” are returning to North America and the Asia-Pacific region. At the same time, the emphasis is deliberately shifting from volume to value. “The numbers may be lower, but the value is higher, and this is the policy change that I am driving as tourism minister,” Burke explained.
Long-haul flights amid climate challenges
Burke called the question of how responsible it is to stimulate long-haul travel in an era of climate crisis a justified one. His position is unambiguous: aviation still has a long way to go towards sustainability, but an island economy must remain “open for business and tourism”. The statistics of recent months support this argument: for the fourth month in a row, arrivals have been rising, and November’s €347m in visitor spending, in the minister’s words, “will breathe new life” into local communities.
How the plan combines growth and the environment
The department, according to Burke, takes sustainability commitments “very seriously”. Under the programme, €300m is earmarked for decarbonisation, and the state is actively cooperating with the private sector. An illustrative example: Diageo, a brewing brand with a 265-year history, has developed, together with the government, a plan to achieve carbon neutrality.
In addition to the energy transition, the strategy provides for tackling food waste and cutting other sources of emissions. The target milestone is a 45% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 compared with 2018 figures. The programme is designed for five years and 71 actions, and the key question is whether it will be possible to maintain a balance between increasing visitor numbers and environmental commitments.
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