News | Latest Breaking News Stories & Headlines

Picture of Caroline Bocquel, Fáilte Ireland CEO, posing in a dark suit

Fáilte Ireland appoints Caroline Bocquel as new CEO

Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority, has appointed Caroline Bocquel as its new chief executive. Ms Bocquel will take up her new role in November.

Business • 13 Aug

Green light for Fáilte Ireland food hall in Dublin 2

Dublin City Council has given the green light to Fáilte Ireland for its planning application to establish a food hall at the vacant St Andrew's Church on Suffolk Street in Dublin 2.

Business • 09 Jun

The new strategy 'Business Events 2030' sets out a roadmap to drive an average annual revenue growth rate of 8% to 2030.

Strategy launched to promote Ireland for business travel

The Government has launched a new business events strategy to promote Ireland as a destination for corporate events and business travel.

Business • 29 Apr

The register of short-term lets will provide a full picture of the stock of registered tourist accommodation across the State

Fáilte Ireland to manage short-term lets register

The Government has published a proposed new law which will create a register of short-term lets by May 2026.

Ireland • 17 Apr

Significant business deals are expected to be signed during the event.

Fáilte Ireland's flagship trade event kicks off

Meitheal, Fáilte Ireland's annual flagship trade event is underway in Killarney.

Business • 01 Apr

Paul Kelly has been Fáilte Ireland's CEO for over eight years

Fáilte Ireland CEO Kelly to leave for new RDS job

Fáilte Ireland's chief executive Paul Kelly is to step down after over eight years in the CEO role.

Business • 05 Mar

Dún Aonghasa on Inis Mór is one of the 11 new €14.5m Fáilte Ireland capital investment projects

Positive outlook for tourism in 2025 - Fáilte Ireland

Fáilte Ireland drove over 1.2 million referrals from its website and social media channels to the booking engines and websites of Irish tourism businesses last year.

Business • 05 Feb

International visitors spent less time in Ireland this year, but they spent more money while they were here

2024 served up a tough year for hospitality

What was on the menu for the hospitality and tourism sector in 2024?

Business • 29 Dec 24

Fáilte Ireland's '360-degree view' warned that visitors from key markets were becoming 'more value conscious'

Demand for holidays here fall below expectations - review

A Fáilte Ireland overview of the tourism season just gone said the industry had struggled through a "challenging year" with demand for holidays here falling well below expectation.

Business • 20 Dec 24

The difficulties in recruiting chefs have eased, new research from Fáilte Ireland has found

Tourism recruitment improves again but challenges remain

Recruitment and retention in the tourism sector has become less difficult for the third year in a row, new research by Failte Ireland has found.

Business • 13 Nov 24

Paul Kelly, the CEO of Fáilte Ireland, said the passenger cap at Dublin Airport represents one of the biggest long-term risks to growth in the tourism industry here

Dublin Airport passenger cap a big risk to tourism growth

The chief executive of Fáilte Ireland has said the passenger cap at Dublin Airport probably represents one of the biggest long-term risks to growth in the tourism industry here in Ireland.

Business • 22 Oct 24

The cost of tourist accommodation and a lack of tourist accommodation were referred to by more than four out every ten in the latest Fáilte Ireland Tourism Barometer

Tourism providers report disappointing summer season

The crucial summer tourism season was a disappointing one for more than half of operators here, new research from Fáilte Ireland has found.

Business • 11 Sep 24

Taylor Swift during one of her Dublin concerts

Fáilte Ireland campaign saw Taylor Swift gifted cardigan

Fáilte Ireland was hoping to "newsjack" the Taylor Swift concerts by gifting her a hand-made cardigan to reflect the singer's "fondness" for the country and "grá" for traditional knitting.

Business • 20 Aug 24

Domestic holidays taken last year up 8% to over 1 million

The domestic tourism market grew strongly in 2023 with over 14.3 million trips taken by Irish holidaymakers which generated €3.1 billion for the economy.

Business • 18 Jul 24

Lough Boora in Co Offaly is getting funds to improve its walking and cycling trails

€32m for Fáilte Ireland's regenerative tourism projects

Fáilte Ireland has approved €32m in grants under its EU Just Transition Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme.

Business • 19 Jun 24

New research revealed that since November over 4,500 extra beds provided by guest accommodation providers have potentially become available again for use by tourists

Tourist beds used for refugee and asylum seekers down 15%

The number of registered tourist beds being used to house Ukrainian refugees and international protection applicants has fallen by over 15% in the past six months, according to Fáilte Ireland.

Ireland • 13 Jun 24

The Wild Atlantic Way was created a decade ago by the National Tourism Development Authority

Tourism on Wild Atlantic Way worth over €3bn a year

A report by Fáilte Ireland on the economic impact of the Wild Atlantic Way has found it is worth more than €3 billion per year in tourism revenue to communities along the western seaboard.

Ireland • 11 Apr 24

The D Hotel in Drogheda will be used to accommodate international protection applicants

Concern over use of hotel accommodation for refugees

The use of hotel accommodation for refugee and asylum seekers is having a significant impact on the tourism industry, according to Fáilte Ireland.

Business • 21 Feb 24

The K-Club is hosting the 2023 Horizon Irish Open

Irish Open will boost golf tourism - Fáilte Ireland

International golf tourism is worth more than €300 million to the Irish economy, according to Fáilte Ireland, as it plans to showcase the country as a world-class golfing destination as the 2023 Horizon Irish Open gets underway at the K-Club.

Business • 07 Sep 23

Irish tourism bodies described Summer 2023 as a mixed bag with varied performances in different parts of the country and in different sectors

How did Irish tourism fare this summer?

The rain poured cold water on the domestic tourism market in Ireland this summer, sending Irish people overseas in search of sunshine.

Business • 02 Sep 23

Fáilte Ireland launches strategies for regional tourism

Fáilte Ireland has launched four new Regional Tourism Development Strategies which will provide a framework for the sustainable tourism development across Ireland between 2023 and 2027.

Business • 26 May 23

Tourism trade event Meitheal begins in Killarney

Significant business deals are expected to be signed over the next three days at Meitheal - the largest trade event for the Irish tourism industry.

Business • 20 Mar 23

This year's St Patrick's Festival will be the biggest celebration to date

A lucky charm - The business of St Patrick's Day

It is our national holiday. But for many businesses the period around St Patrick's Day is an important part of the commercial calendar, writes Petula Martyn.

Business • 17 Mar 23

82% of those living in Ireland plan to take a holiday here this year

Value for money 'critical' in recovery of Irish tourism

The head of Fáilte Ireland has said those working in the tourism sector need to ensure they're providing value for money, in order for the industry to continue its recovery.

Business • 20 Feb 23

Visitor numbers are still down a third on the pre-Covid peak of 1.02 million

677,000 visitors to Irish whiskey distilleries in 2022

Irish whiskey distilleries around the island of Ireland attracted 677,000 visitors last year, an increase of 425% on 2021.

Business • 24 Jan 23