Mullingar takes centre stage as European tourism leaders gather for landmark summit
Mullingar will be the epicentre of European tourism policy today as Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke welcomes tourism ministers, senior officials and industry representatives from across the European Union for a major gathering under Ireland's EU Presidency.
The high-level meeting will see the launch of the first-ever EU Sustainable Tourism Strategy by European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas, marking a significant milestone for the tourism industry across Europe.
The gathering forms part of a series of events organised under the Irish Presidency and coincides with the 25th European Tourism Forum, which is taking place in Mullingar on November 4.
The forum's theme, 'Building a Better Tourism Future: Harnessing Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Digitalisation', will see delegates examine the challenges and opportunities facing the sector, including sustainability, competitiveness, skills, investment and technological innovation.
Welcoming the Commissioner and visiting delegations to his home county, Minister Burke said tourism was vital to economic activity, employment and regional development.
He highlighted that tourism supports more than 270,000 jobs in Ireland and plays a particularly important role in rural communities and regional economies.
Minister Burke said the new European strategy demonstrated a renewed commitment to ensuring tourism remained sustainable, innovative and resilient, while delivering benefits for local communities and visitors.
Commissioner Tzitzikostas described tourism as one of Europe's greatest economic assets, supporting millions of jobs and businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises.
He said the strategy would establish a common vision for making European tourism more competitive, sustainable and resilient.
The Mullingar gathering follows a meeting of Directors General for Tourism in Dublin on November 3, bringing together senior officials from across the EU.
Europe remains the world's leading tourism destination, welcoming almost 600 million international visitors annually and supporting more than 20 million jobs.
The events place Mullingar and Westmeath firmly in the spotlight as Ireland hosts important discussions shaping the future of European tourism.