Minister promises 'new era' for tourism with €400m investment

By Bairbre Holmes, Press Association

An investment announced on Wednesday will herald a “new era” for the tourism sector, a minister has said.

Minister for Tourism Peter Burke unveiled a €4.7 billion “war chest” which is due to be invested in Ireland’s enterprise sector over the next five years as part of the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment’s capital plan for 2026 to 2030.

He said it is “critical we’re viewing tourism as centrally important to government strategy”.

Mr Burke added that there has been a lack of “political direction” over a number of years that saw “boots on the ground” leaving key markets.

He said about €400 million would be allocated to the tourism sector, which would be used to fund a number of measures to boost the industry.

He said the department is “really looking at” investing through strategic aviation routes, including to the UAE and India, adding that while they may not generate “significant numbers” of tourists to Ireland, they are “very high value”.

More personnel will be deployed to the UAE, Canada, and the India and Asia Pacific region to promote Ireland as a destination.

Lengthening the tourism season in Ireland in order to spread numbers across the year is another priority, with Mr Burke saying it should run “from St Brigid’s Day right out to Halloween and beyond”.

He said there will also be a focus on upskilling firms to be “digitally smart”, in particular as 60% of people now use AI when mapping out their holiday itineraries.

Mr Burke also said there would be a focus on developing skills “to ensure that there are significant career pathways in our tourism sector”.

The minister said around 230,000 people are employed in the tourism sector, with about 46,000 small and medium-sized businesses involved in the industry.

He said while there has been a “return to increasing numbers” in recent months, it is “vital” the tourism industry has a good year in 2025 and that his department is hoping for between six and seven per cent growth over the next five years.

While Mr Burke said Ireland is a “very strong location” for North America and the Asia and Pacific region, the country is “under pressure” in the European market.

Promoting Ireland’s “authentic artisan food” will be key, he said, in making Ireland a more attractive destination for European visitors.

He said they are often “very impressed” with the quality of produce in Ireland, compared with “what they would have heard or what view they would have created in their mind before they have come here”.