Minister addresses ITOA on regional tourism growth and industry priorities
The Inbound Tourism Association of Ireland (ITOA) welcomed Minister Peter Burke to address their council meeting in Mullingar this week.
The meeting provided an opportunity for ITOA members to engage directly with the minister on priorities within his department’s national tourism policy, including the importance of regional dispersal of visitors and the development of less mature destinations.
Members also welcomed the minister’s discussion on his forthcoming tourism accommodation strategy, which is aimed at guiding the provision of an appropriate mix of accommodation across all regions in the short to medium term, with a particular focus on less mature destinations, ensuring the industry can continue to deliver sustainable growth.
ITOA members brought 716,164 overseas visitors to the island of Ireland in 2025, generating €673 million in export earnings, representing approximately 12–13% of total overseas tourism receipts.
Crucially, 66% of that business is outside Dublin.
North America, Britain, France and Germany/Austria accounted for 83% of ITOA leisure visitors in 2025.
The ITOA also highlighted their role in supporting the visibility of regional tourism product internationally through members’ long-standing global B2B relationships.
ITOA CEO Alva Pearson Downey said: “Our members are delivering real economic impact across regional Ireland. Through established international trade relationships, we are able to bring new and emerging tourism product into global programmes quickly and effectively, supporting the growth of less mature destinations.”
Separately, the day also marked a new collaboration between ITOA and Irish Rail, focused on exploring the use of private carriage options on scheduled public rail services for international visitors.
The initiative aims to enhance access to regional destinations and provide additional transport for both leisure and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) tourism.
The event was supported by Fáilte Ireland as part of efforts to strengthen regional tourism development.