Tourism Ireland comment on Budget 2025

Welcoming the funding allocated to Tourism Ireland in Budget 2025, Alice Mansergh, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, said: “We welcome the funding for overseas tourism allocated in Budget 2025, which demonstrates the Government’s continued commitment to Irish tourism. 

“Tourism is an industry that supports 300,000 jobs right across our island, with around 200,000 of those jobs dependent on overseas tourism. This year, overseas tourism is likely to be worth €6.5 billion. Our aim is to grow revenue by an average +5.6% per year to 2030. As we look to the year ahead, there are, of course, certain risks to mitigate – including the Dublin Airport cap, the cost of living and competitiveness on the ground.

“At Tourism Ireland, our role is to inspire overseas visitors about all there is to see and do across the island of Ireland – through advertising, publicity, digital and social activity. We estimate that for every €1 invested by Tourism Ireland in overseas marketing, about €25 comes back to the economy from overseas visitors’ spend on the ground in Ireland.

“Tourism Ireland works closely with our key partners – supporting the tourism industry here in Ireland and our travel trade partners overseas to seal commercial deals that bring visitors at scale to our island. Our marketing is driving interest in visiting the island of Ireland across seasons – from spring festivals like St Patrick’s Day to our ‘Ireland Home of Halloween’ campaign in the autumn. 

“We are grateful for funding to support access to our regions, where commercially viable for our air and sea partners. We stimulate demand for air and sea services, to drive incremental business to airports along the Wild Atlantic Way and to the ferry ports in Cork and Rosslare.”